LONG DAYS IN BARCELONA

The schedule is relentless and the sense that the team are really starting to find their stride and rhythm hangs in the late summer air around the base. The shore team are slick, the sailors look confident, the design team are animated, and there’s positive body language from the on-water coaches.

Today the team underwent a solid three-hour flying session building in consistency and pushing for that first successful foiling manoeuvre. The set-up is crucial, all the simple elements require a synchronicity, and the call has to be spot on for the right puff at the right speed to execute successfully. For sure, when the team take delivery of their AC37 race-boat in a little over a year’s time, the hull will be lighter, the foils longer and the systems far more bespoke than BoatZero but for now this is ultimate practice gold-dust. Time and again the team tried, and it was getting closer and closer to no avail. 

As the light faded, the last tack of the day was almost pitch-perfect, only scuppered by the Swiss electing not to raise the new windward arm on completion, but as a marker of what we will be seeing in the coming weeks, there’s a real belief that the co-ordination is there, and the teamwork is coming fast. The AC world will chalk that tack to the good!

All round a terrific effort and Alinghi Red Bull Racing is well on track with their considered programme and consistent approach to their training schedule.

Speaking afterwards, Design Coordinator for Alinghi Red Bull Racing, Adolfo Carrau, seemed pleased with what the team are doing on the water: “To put all those miles in today means all those guys in the shed and in the design office are putting in a lot of very very long hours. I think it’s testament to those hours that we are putting nice days on the water.”

Interestingly when pushed about the use of AI simulation In the design process, something that all teams are now utilising, Adolfo acknowledged that Alinghi Red Bull Racing are running “thousands of simulations” and added: “We have a lot of horsepower in terms of machines.” (Magnus Wheatley)

On-Water Recon Unit Notes: A long day on the water with the most distance covered so far, approximately 54 nautical miles. The team are flying the boat consistently and have moved on to the next phase of attempting to complete foiling manoeuvres. The final foiling tack from starboard to port at the end of the session was the best we've seen so far. Unfortunately, they did not manage to carry enough speed through the turn to keep foiling and raise the new windward arm to continue on port tack. Good progress this week, the team will carry out maintenance and aim to sail again on Monday. Development of foils is on the current agenda for the design team, as explained by Adolfo Carrau in the interview.

Wind speeds were measured with anemometer 2m above sea level. At the time of Dock Out, the wind measured 4-5kn from E. The wind direction remained constant and increased in pressure to 7kn at 16:00 for the rest of the afternoon.

Sailing 14:00 - 14:50 (Foiling, 1 Foiling Tack Attempt - Incomplete), Sailing 15:00 - 15:35 (Foiling, 1 Foiling Gybe Attempt Incomplete , 1 Foiling Tack Attempt Incomplete) , Sailing 15:40 - 15:45 (Foiling) , Sailing 16:00 - 16:05 (Foiling, 1 Foiling Tack Attempt - Big Touch Down) , Sailing 16:10 - 17:05 (Foiling, 2 Foiling Tack Attempts Incomplete, 2 Foiling Gybe Attempts Incomplete, 1 Final Foiling Tack complete but failed to raise windward arm before losing speed off the foils). Sails down at 17:10 and tow back to base.

Wind Strength 5 knots (AM) 7-8 knots (PM)

Wind Angle: E (PM) Sea State: 3

Temperature: 21 degrees & sunny

Crane in: 1100 Dock Out: 1310

Dock In: 1750 Crane out: 1825

Total Tacks: 6 (Displacement) 1 (Foiling)

Total Gybes: 2 (Displacement)

Estimated Speed of take-off: 17 knots

Estimated TWA: 90 degrees

Sails: M1- 1R with J1-1R (3 hours)