- Joined
- Jun 25, 2008
- Messages
- 10,123
- Location
- Australia
- Vessel Name
- Now boatless - sold 6/2018
- Vessel Make
- Had a Clipper (CHB) 34
I agree that spinnakers add several elements that are both interesting and nice looking, but flying a chute at 40 knots isn't going to happen in 10 knots of wind. Also, foiling requires those speeds, just to stay up off the water, which in turn requires downwind sailing to be at wide angles off of directly downwind, to stay up on the foil.
Broaching still happens. That is what got American Magic. Now they need to figure out how to survive a broach at close to 50 knots.
Excellent point. Funnily enough after the last race, my brother, who is definitely no sailor, has been fascinated right throughout the series, and asked me - rather texted me, (from NZ where he lives), asking how can a boat, sailing ostensibly downwind, reach about 40knots in only 14 knots of wind, as it seems to defy the laws of physics..?
I explained to him that it's all in the way that sailing across the wind, (as KOliver mentioned), and not dead downwind, they create their own 'apparent wind'. So, the faster they go, the greater the apparent wind, and it is that which allows them to go faster than the actual wind, and it is that also which precludes the use of spinnakers or even large ballooning headsails like genoas and gennakers.
So, sorry Menzies, but large headsails are not going to happen, but you can bet they do plenty of jib and main trimming.