KIWI SAIL DEVELOPMENT

What we know for sure about the developments to date is that the port side anhedral foil on the LEQ12 is a significant step forward to the standard AC40 foil but when on the starboard foil, the speed and height differences are minimal. From a design perspective, that’s one big box ticked off and the foil analysts will no doubt continue heavily down the refinement part of the foils unseen on the super-computers whirring away back in Dan Bernasconi’s office. Where the horsepower though will be generated is up aloft and, on the Chase Boat today, most notably, was Burns Fallow checking on what looked like a new headboard arrangement on the LEQ12 that was somewhat of a struggle to get launched.

No fewer than six people were aboard the LEQ12 wrestling with the double skin mainsail arrangement and from the spy shots it very much looks like the head of the sail is being connected to the clew and tack to induce better control at the peak via control lines running down between the twin-skins. Larger, puffier battens were noted just below the yellow-topped headboard where a span of two battens running out to support the flat-top and the initial part of the leech just below were clearly seen. At the very top of the sail, a fold-over cover seals the two skins together but once sailing, it was noticeable that the twin skins were further apart at the head than we’ve seen in recent flights and certainly more pronounced than on the AC40.

Sail-making alchemy is afoot and the genius wizard that is Burns Fallow is once again at his mischievous, innovative mixing cauldron but, as with all experiments, sometimes things just don’t go to plan.  As the LEQ12 began its line-up session with the AC40 off Rangitoto, the recon unit recorded that: “a large wrinkle was noticed down the luff of the mainsail on its port skin,” and sailing was halted soon after.

Curly Salthouse, the legendary Kiwi head of on-water operations who is now in his tenth America’s Cup campaign summed up the short afternoon session accurately saying: “We waited for the breeze, sort of a typical sea-breeze day here in Auckland…and left the dock about 2.30pm something like that, unfortunately on one of the boats we've made a little change to the sail configuration, and we’ve done some damage to some battening, something that we couldn't really replace and keep going on the water. So, one boat’s back in early and we’ll lift that out and fix it for tomorrow, that's not a big job, but it's just something we’re trying…and it wasn’t up to the task, we’ll rectify that and go again.”

Emirates Team New Zealand’s mark on the America’s Cup is innovation and the runway from now through to the event starting in Barcelona in September 2024 is going to be littered with new tech, new technique and new hardware coming into what many predict will be the closest Cup in its history. Ranged against the Kiwis are mighty, well-funded data and tech driven challengers who are all poring over the videos and photos captured by the on-water recon teams. Everyone is watching Emirates Team New Zealand like a hawk and the slow trickle of developments being tested and showcased are premium viewing for the armies of analysts watching closely. Today’s footage will be pored over for clues about what the Defenders are up to up top and where they are concentrating to find that click of speed that makes all the difference.

Seven minutes of sailing time doesn’t sound much – it was enough to send the hares racing though. Watching Emirates Team New Zealand is almost a sport in itself. The programme continues tomorrow. (Magnus Wheatley)

On-Water Recon Unit Notes: A later start today due to the light forecast for the morning. Both the LEQ12 and the AC40 were in the pen with sails loaded on chase boats by 13.30.

The crews assembled on the dock around ‘Chase 2’ for Ray Davies to outline the plan for the afternoon, this lasted at least five minutes and looked quite in depth. The yachts docked out at 14.30 and were taken under tow out to the Rough Rock area just NE of North Head where they stopped, took side-tows and began hoisting.

Compared to the AC40 it took a lot longer to hoist the main on the LEQ12 as it took six people about 10 minutes to load the headboards up the luff tracks. Again, close to full hoist there looked to be a lot of activity in between the main sail skins at both clew and tack ends.

For the LEQ it took about 21 minutes to hoist her sails. She was off the chase boat and sailing at 15.13, upwind on starboard to begin with. The yacht tacked off Cheltenham, laying for about Saltworks on the Rangitoto shore, everything looked as normal until she tacked back onto starboard looking to line up with the AC40. A large wrinkle was noticed down the luff of the mainsail on its port skin. The LEQ12 tacked, sailed for another 2 minutes on port then slowly steered head to wind and dropped sails. As the sails were being lowered ‘Chase 2’ came alongside ‘Chase 1’ and some tech personel were exchanged then the LEQ12 was towed home to be craned out at 16.15

Dock out: 1430 Dock-in: 1600

Onboard the Boats Today

Helms LEQ12: Nathan Outteridge / Pete Burling

Helms AC40-3: Liv Mackay / Leo Takahashi / Josh Junior

Crews LEQ12: Blair Tuke / Andy Maloney

Crews AC40-3: Sam Meech / Marcus Hansen 

Sail Used onboard LEQ12:

M2 Mainsail: 7 minutes

J2 Jib: 7 minutes

Recon Notes: No real time to study flying shapes due to sailing session length.

Breakage/Issue: Mainsail batten/component. Large wrinkle observed in port side of main.

Total Tacks: 3 – 3 foil-to-foil

Total Gybes: Zero

Recon Notes: Rapid and easy. From dead in water to fully foiling in less than 50 secondsWind Strength: Very light in the AM, sea breeze started to fill in about 13.00. NE going NNE. Weather AM: 20% cloud. Bright sunshine with high clouds. Weather PM: 30% cloud, bright sunshine breeze built to max 10 knots in the puffs but about 8 knots average. Flat sea/Calm/Slight.

Take off speed: 13 knots at 75 degrees TWA (True Wind Angle)