‘BARNSTORMING’ INEOS BRITANNIA
The mood around the INEOS Britannia winter training base in Palma continues its upwards trajectory with an air of performance expectation around the new starboard curved foil that appears very much to have step-changed the on-water performance of ‘T6’ – the British Team’s LEQ12 prototype test platform.
In perfect conditions today that Justin Chisholm of the recon team, described as being a ‘barnstormer’, Giles Scott, Dylan Fletcher-Scott. Leigh McMillan and Iain Jensen had the perfect opportunity for a full high-speed testing day. They didn’t disappoint with some superb ‘segments’ and runs being completed to provide maximum data for the designers and engineers poring and perhaps ‘purring’ over the new performance profile.
Leigh McMillan, the hugely experienced Flight Controller for INEOS Britannia came ashore afterwards with a spring in his step after a thoroughly entertaining session and gave what can only be described as a superb insight into the team’s thinking and approach with five weeks left before the move across the water to Barcelona. In the video below he talks through the new foil – it’s hinge-less topside and gives a sailor’s perspective on how this exciting phase of the British programme is progressing. Not to be missed, Leigh is one of best interviewees of this America’s Cup cycle.
VIDEO: LEIGHT McMILLAN, FLIGHT CONTROLLER, INEOS BRITANNIA
On-Water Recon Notes: INEOS Britannia's third and final day of sailing this week was a barnstormer of a day sailed in a south easterly breeze that built to 16-18 knots. After rolling out at 1100, launching at 1130, and docking out three minutes early at 1257 the British team had the sails up on their T6 LEQ12 test boat (M1-2 mainsail and J4-1 headsail) by 1325.
A slight hiccup when the headsail came off its halyard lock as soon as the crew sheeted on was quickly remedied and the boat was up and foiling upwind at 1335 for a 35-minute flight that concluded upwind after a tack on to port.
With the breeze up at 15-knots by now the yacht looked a little difficult to control at slow speed and one occasion ended up heeling precariously as it rounded up into the wind. A bow tow was used to get the boat moving forward with flow over the foils on starboard, but the take-off was self-generated. The resulting flight lasted just a couple of minutes however before the boat stopped again after a tack to port. A self-take-off followed which led to a 35-knot tight reach over to flatter water closer to shore for another stop with a chase boat alongside.
An electronics technician was seen on board and after a half an hour delay the team's largest chase boat was sent ashore to pick up what we were told later was a small piece of replacement hardware. That apparently did the trick and by 1530 the headsail was back up and the boat set off on a final one-hour stint of airborne manoeuvres that saw T6 ripping around Palma Bay at speeds over 30 knots upwind and in the mid to high 40 knot range downwind.
It was not possible to ascertain whether there was any noticeable speed difference between the two foils. The session concluded with a short series of downwind high-speed bear aways and round ups before a final blistering run to the team's regular start/finish zone off Palma Cathedral where sails were dropped by 1645.
Dock-in took place at 1700. No sailing is scheduled over the weekend with Monday the next possible sailing day.
Recon Notes:
Dock-out: 1257 Dock-in: 1700
Conditions: 1300: 9 knots 160; 1330: 13-16 180; 1412: 16-18 knots 180; 1500: 16-18 knots 220
Weather AM: Sunny with scattered cloud 18-20°C.
Weather PM: Clearing skies 21°C.
Sea state PM: Flat early building to moderate chop
Onboard Today:
Helms: Dylan Fletcher-Scott / Giles Scott
Crew: Iain Jensen / Bleddyn Mon
Sails Used:
Mainsail M1-2: 3 hours 30 minutes
Jib (J4-1): 3 hours
Total Tacks: 26 – 23 foil-to-foil, 0 touch & go, 3 touchdowns.
Total Gybes: 19 – 18 foil-to-foil, 0 touch & go, 1 touchdown.
Take off Speed: 18 knots at 60° TWA (True Wind Angle). Take-offs were ‘self’ today.