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Louis Vuitton Cup
On the first day of the Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robin 1, April 16, weather delays gave team members plenty of time to chat. Conversation circulated like wildfire on a particular topic that had been laying dormant in some of the technical papers. Questions and answers in a couple of the Public Interpretations that rules officials periodically issue to the teams regarding technical matters hinted at possible designs that might allow management of the position of an America's Cup Class yacht keel while sailing. An ACC keel weighs about 19 tons, while the rest of the yacht less than 3 tons. With the immense mass of the ballast bulb even a change in position of the keel measured in inches could amount to a significant advantage for a team which exploited such a possibility. But word that this keel manipulation might be achievable within the rules was particularly alarming to the Cup community since a canting keel was specifically intended not to be possible in these boats. The latest reading of the situation is that canting keels or arrangements with a similar effect are still not allowable, and the ACC Technical Director seemed to confirm that is the case (see below). Still, questions abound about who asked for the interpretation, what the system they had in mind was (if any), and whether some new feature based on the interpretations provided might be not only possible, but actually in use for AC32. A number of observers feel that such a technology would be unsporting, clearly intended to subvert the intent of the rule by parsing the words to suit a less than honorable goal. Though it would require some brilliant engineering, it would be a victory not so much of design but more so one of dictionary twisting. Below is a short history of articles and commentary on the subject, presented in chronological order. Despite limitations that apparently prohibit it, did the canting keel sneak into the America's Cup via some clever rules interpretations? While rotating the keel side-to-side is strictly outlawed, Valencia is buzzing with word that natural deflection of the keel fin may have been harnessed for a very similar purpose. In the narrow ACC version 5 design space, such an advantage could be decisive. The issue was probed in the Technical Director's Public Interpretation #23, though some observers think it wasn't ruled out.
Read More at: 4/16 - "Fish-Shaped and Bright Red": Sail-World.com 4/17 - Teams Say Keel Won't Fly: NZ Herald Read PI #23 re-formatted for easier review or View in Official Format See all Public Interpretations at Americascup.com Canting Keel Update: Bob Fisher is reporting at Sail World that Ken McAlpine, America's Cup Class Technical Director, will speak with the press Thursday morning. Given that he is the interpreter behind the rules interpretations that have caused so much concern lately (see Canting Keels Okay? below) his further explanation is eagerly anticipated. Given the circumspection required of his job, though, it is possible that more questions may be raised than answered. Can't Ken McAlpine, America's Cup Class Technical Director, answered questions Thursday in front of an intensely curious audience in an attempt to provide some clarity on the issue of the presumably outlawed canting keel technology and whether it has sneaked into the Cup despite rules to the contrary. Briefing Video at America's Cup Anywhere Excerpt from the briefing:
From Bob Fisher at Sail-World: What was apparent was that the Measurement Committee has no intention of allowing any anomalous structure that would give any team an unfair advantage and that this body was aware of what the questions were leading to that brought Interpretations 22 & 23. "We were satisfied that the questions were clear and that we were not being led down the garden path," said McAlpine. "Boats are not allowed to use the sideways deflection of the mast to affect the keel," were McAlpine’s last words on the subject. Read Bob Fisher's article at Sail-World Closing the Door on the Canting Keel?
The America's Cup Class Technical Director has issued
Public Interpretation 38, answering more questions about what is
and isn't possible to do within the rules with trick keel designs.
This one seems to rule out the general idea that circulated in the Cup
community recently about a
potential rule-beating keel design
making it into the America's Cup. |
