OT: Americas Cup (Yachts)

[firerescuefin]

As a young teenager, I stayed up until 3-4 in the morning watching Dennis Connor in "Stars and Stripes" take back the Cup from the Australians.

I have never sailed in my life, but find myself enamored with the technolgy, tactics, physical aspect of the sailing the yachts, gamesmanship...etc.

Anyone else??

[malcolm]

I'm with you although you make me feel old. I think Dennis Connor started with the stars and stripes in the late 80s I'd already done a stint in the Marine Corps by then, so crap I'm old.

He did have a way to make a fringe sport exciting. I remember myself and lots of others that knew nothing about sailing glued to the television and after a few hours being sailing experts. It seems like after Dennis interest waned or it may be just that we lost. I don't remember exactly but it seems the Aussies or someone beat us after a few years.

[gomango]

We are a sailing family.

I'm 54 and I remember the excitement Dennis Connor brought to the sport.

As much as I love bicycling, I love sailing even more.

We are members of a club that promotes lessons first with fun/safety as the main messages and racing after that.

Helps keep things in perspective for our boys.

[pdmtong]

I went yesterday and to me it was just as thrilling to see it live as any of the amgen tour of california tours i've seen the past years.

I have windsurfed these waters for years and I know what it is like to do 20+ knots...those boats are the little ones but oh so flipping great

[firerescuefin]

I went yesterday and to me it was just as thrilling to see it live as any of the amgen tour of california tours i've seen the past years.

I have windsurfed these waters for years and I know what it is like to do 20+ knots...those boats are the little ones but oh so flipping great

Was watching it today....wild. The SF Bay is such a great venue.

[monkey1]

cool

[benb]

If I lived where I could be on the water several times a week I'd be all over sailing and cut my bicycling way way back.

The mental game and the skill some people bring to it is just amazing. On top of that every boat is pretty different and different types have all kinds of different character and best practices. It's amazing to watch someone with tons of experience just pull away from you when you're in the same boat.

Got to sail a Hobie Cat last week on vacation.. I never sailed a Catamaran before.. it was just sailing, and yet it was really different at the same time.

[Elefantino]

I used to crew on a Columbia 40 on SF Bay. Many fond memories of that and of watching the America's Cup.

Can't say I'm excited about the cats, though. Sort of remind me of the out-of-control over-teched 90s with TT bikes.

I miss the 12-meters.

[MerckxMad]

My family and I watched the World Championship races when we were in Newport back in June. Crazy, wild technology and racing. We went out in 12m to watch up close. It was a blast.

[jghall]

Love the Cup. Grew up sailing in the wee years.

While I marvel at the technologu of the Cat, I'm with the Elephant Man and would love to see the boats of the yore year.

[pdmtong]

If I lived where I could be on the water several times a week I'd be all over sailing and cut my bicycling way way back.

Given the choice, I would always windsurf (high wind) first, mountain bike second and road bike third.

The problem is that here windusrifng and sailing are wind and tide dependent, and as you know with weather dependent sports, every day is not always a great day. sometimes THE days happen mid week during work. Plus, the wind is best from 3:30-7:30...kind of tough with a real job and family.

I can ride my road bike at 7am and put in a decent effort in a coupla hours...29/2500'.... then back to family time.

All this said...best day on a road bike not even close to the best days windsurfing...watching those AC45s blasting brought out all those feelings of how great it is to be the fastest craft on the water

[CaptStash]

I have to agree with Elefantino and JG Hall that I miss the twelve meters. I'd love to see a modern ultra technical one design monohull back in the cup.

I grew-up sailing as well and even had the "honor" to race with Dennis on the Bay in a big boat series many man mons ago (he's brilliant, and a bit of a screamer, which wears you out). I still love the America's Cup and am looking forward to the upcoming series.

CaptStash....

[bluesea]

I've spent a good amount of time on one of the American 12m that went down to Australia in '87, and have done a couple BBS and SW NOODs on the Bay. 12s are very-very-very heavy displacement boats, and are basically an anachronism these days. The new design trends and technology are fantastic.

Great starting sequence in the final match race. Didn't bother to watch the fleet races.

[esldude]

Never been sailing, always wanted to. The America's cup was something I followed. Have books about those J-boats from before WWII.

I sometimes get retro about it looking at current boats, but then again I take a different look and marvel at the tech involved in a 'simple sailing boat'. Sort of like either riding my steel road bike, or my all carbon bike.

[thashicray]

As a young teenager, I stayed up until 3-4 in the morning watching Dennis Connor in "Stars and Stripes" take back the Cup from the Australians.

I have never sailed in my life, but find myself enamored with the technolgy, tactics, physical aspect of the sailing the yachts, gamesmanship...etc.

Anyone else??

+1 on the technology and tactics aspect.

Growing up in San Diego he became a household name in the late '80's. Could be mentioned in the same breath with Tony Gwynn and Dan Fouts. Remember how he had all that white Zinka sunscreen slapped across his mouth? He looked like a rabid dog. A legend nonetheless.

[pdmtong]

you guys see the massive fog bank outside the gate? thats why whenever we do a ride over the hill to the coast I need to dress for 55d near the ocean and 80d+ near the bay back at home. packable jacket and warmers are essentials.

[Fixed]

Cool sport
http://m.americascup.com/
Cheers

[dvs cycles]

Looking forward to the AC-72's hitting the water soon.
On another note this rocket of a sailboat is based in Long-Beach waiting to set a record to Hawaii.
http://hydroptere.com/en/home/