[MHml] Time to vote

[Dave Howorth]

On Wed, 2010-02-17 at 14:25 -0800, Dan Frenette wrote:
> This isn't coastal racing and it's not offshore racing.  It's basically 
> harbor racing and sometimes that's not a bad thing.  It generated fast 
> boats with interesting limits.

I think you're forgetting that this was a deed of gift match:

"All such races shall be on ocean courses, free from headlands, as
follows: The first race, twenty nautical miles to windward and return;
the second race an equilateral triangular race of thirty-nine nautical
miles, the first side of which shall be a beat to windward; the third
race (if necessary) twenty nautical miles to windward and return; and
one week day shall intervene between the conclusion of one race and the
starting of the next race. These ocean courses shall be practicable in
all parts for vessels of twenty-two feet draught of water .."

That doesn't sound like harbour racing to me. Ocean courses, outside
protecting headlands, twenty mile legs, minimum depth 6.7 m. And without
mutual agreement, there's no provision for any postponement except if it
was required by the defender's normal regulations. I can't see RORC or
for that matter any normal yacht club even thinking about cancelling an
offshore race in the conditions that prevailed.

I think Schuyler would have l'Hydroptère more in mind than either of the
boats that competed. Not to say that they aren't impressive in their own
way but I don't think they were well-designed for the spirit of the
Americas Cup.

JMHO, Dave