BUSTLES. END PLATING. AERO
Another outstanding day of testing for the British out in the Bay of Palma, frustratingly cut short by just a couple of hours due to a technical issue with the data gathering chase boat. Bleddyn Mon, the vital link between the sailors and engineers within INEOS Britannia gave a superb interview after sailing today talking through the importance of the bustle and the end-plating effect that the team are trying to induce. Bleddyn also covers the effects of leeway and how the team induce the now-commonplace windward heel and why they do it.
A must watch for those interested in the technical aspects of the America’s Cup and the sailing styles, modes, trims and cants that all the teams are playing with at the moment.
VIDEO: BLEDDYN MON – INEOS Britannia
On-Water Recon Notes: The British America's Cup team's day on the water was cut a little short today after a technical issue on the team's main data gathering chase boat forced an early end to sailing at shortly before 1600 today.
The team's silver LEQ12 test boat ‘T6’ was out on the water with sails up at 1330 but the crew – helmsmen Giles Scott and Dylan Fletcher with flight controllers/trimmers Iain Jensen and Luke Parkinson – had to wait for nearly an hour for the forecast southerly breeze to establish itself. When it did, it came in fast – ramping quickly from 7 to 13 knots and forcinthe team into an early headsail change from the J2 to the J4. With this completed T6 was soon back up in the air and powering around Palma Bay – first on a series of windward leeward runs with occasional tacks and gybes, and then in a somewhat unpredictable pattern of reaches, round-ups, and bear aways. The boat looked stable and fast throughout the day with speeds estimated to be into the high thirties at times on the downwind runs.
The boat was observed at a number of ride heights upwind and down – sometimes low with the bustle skimming the tops of the waves, sometimes much higher. Tacks and gybes were assured with only two touch and go gybes to mar a perfect score. All in all, a solid testing session which will have been frustrating for the British squad to have had to cut short by at least an hour or two.
On Water Recon Notes:
Dock-out: 1148 Dock-in: 1620
Conditions: 1315: 085 6 knots; 1330: 100 7-8 knots; 1430 200 13 knots; 1500 220 17 knots
Weather AM: Warm and sunny 15-22°C.
Weather PM: Warm and sunny 22° C.
Sea state PM: Flat initially building to 0.4 m chop.
Onboard Today:
Helms: Giles Scott / Dylan Fletcher-Scott
Crew: Iain Jensen / Luke Parkinson
Sails Used:
Mainsail M1-2: 2 hours 40 minutes
Jib (J2-1): 45 minutes
Jib (J4-1): 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Tacks: 7 – 7 foil-to-foil.
Total Gybes: 7 – 5 foil-to-foil, 2 touch & go.
Take off Speed: 18 knots at 60° TWA (True Wind Angle).