Anybody watch the first race? Yes, I know its a pair of rich idiots being spoiled brats but the boats are completely awesome. 18 knots in a 6 knot breeze is incredible in anyones language. <BR> <BR>Looking forward to predicted 20 knot winds tomorrow night....

I thought there was a rule no racing in wind over 15? I agree about the spoiled brats it's not even a sailing race anymore but a money race. I think the American team has more non-americans than americans this year the way it seems.

No racing in wind over 15 knots? You have got to be kidding? I grew up sailing a 10 meter Pearson on the San Francisco Bay and an average day blew 20 knots. 25 knots and we reefed the sail and continued on. 30 knots and we put a second reef in and furled the jib in some. I did have the front stay break on a port side tack heading out under the gate. The only thing that kept the mast up was the jib sheet <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/uhoh.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>FWIW we see them sometimes practice in the SF Bay area. <BR> <BR>Also didn't they put the racers through a hurricane a few years back?

The difference this year though is how light the boats are they would get torn apart in heavy winds. The modern day america's cup boats have never been built for heavy winds though. The boats now though are designed for high speed in low winds. The technology now is crazy I know alinghi is using engines to move ballast around in their boat. <BR>Notice how fast the boat is chasing after them to keep up and how calm it is out in this video. <BR>atch?v=UpphKLlQoBk<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpphKLlQoBk" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpphKLlQoBk</a> <BR> <BR>This is also a pretty cool put together video of the boat. <BR><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/BMWORACLERacingTeam#p/u/4/mapVhW93dNY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/user/BMWORACLERacingTeam#p/u/4/mapVhW93dNY</a>

Oracle wins!

<a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-08/america-s-cup-sinks-as-sponsors-flee-billionaire-feud-update1-.html" target="_blank">http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-08/america-s-cup-sinks-as-sponsors-flee-billionaire-feud-update1-.html</a>