Must foil in a foiling world

The Youth America’s Cup competition has highlighted the difficulty of racing the AC40, with all forms of maneuver mistakes amplified by the foiling monohull. Jan Pehrson, who is in Barcelona for the event, shares the struggle:

Since the Youth America’s Cup began on September 17, half of the original 12 teams are gone with the remainder still in the running for the title match on September 26. But to get there, not falling off their foils will be critical.

The AC40s are set up with auto-flight control to help stay on the foils, though the teams may choose to over-ride this by toggling a wheel. Now, why would they do this? In high wind, you may want to ride closer to the surface to stay in control. If it’s lighter airs, you might want to ride just a little bit higher if you are, say, going into a tack or a gybe and want to stay on the foils during those maneuvers.

Here are some of the issues that teams must overcome to stay on the foils:

1. Sea-state: If the waves are in the 0.7-1m range with a tight period (ie close together), what happens is that the foils escape the water and lose grip. That will result in a splashdown or ‘ventilation’ – equally, if the rudder comes out of the water (and this happens when bearing away or downwind especially) then you are a passenger to the scene of a nosedive. Nothing the crew can do.

2. Wave direction: In some of the races, the waves were not square to the wind. For example, if the waves were coming from the starboard beam when on starboard tack, teams were effectively tacking ‘into’ the waves. The waves would stop the momentum of the boat and that, naturally, causes the boats to be in danger of falling off the foils.

3. Light airs: The boats need about 14-16 knots of boatspeed to take off on the foils. In light airs, the game is to try and restrict the number of maneuvers that you do, making it safer to go boundary to boundary than to tack on windshifts in the middle of the course. If you are sailing in a straight line at 20-23 knots, there is danger when of falling off the foils in a tack. A target speed of about 23 knots and above is preferred to execute a foiling tack.

4. Wing-wash: The boats can easily fall off the foils if the opposing boat sits on their wind or gybes on their wind and sends ‘wing-wash’ down on the other boat. Effectively they run out of apparent wind, the boatspeed drops, and presto, you are off the foils.

Jan Pehrson is a sailing photojournalist who spends summers in San Francisco, California and winters in St. Pete Beach, Florida. As a racing and cruising sailor and Coast Guard licensed skipper, Jan’s familiarity with sailing and the sailing community lends an in-depth element to her prolific array of photographs and articles. Contact her at www.janpehrson.com

Viewing details – Race information – Results – Weather forecast

Format: Beginning September 17, 12 teams were split into two groups of six for an initial fleet race series in the AC40s. The top three teams from each side after eight races race together in four fleet races to decide the top-two crews and from there it’s a one-race, winner-takes-all for the title on September 26.

Following the publication of the AC37 Protocol and AC75 Class Rule on November 17, 2021, the AC75 Class Rule and AC Technical Regulations were finalized on March 17, 2022. The entry period was from December 1, 2021 until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup could be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the reveal, finally confirming Barcelona on March 30, 2022. The 37th America’s Cup begins October 12, 2024.

Teams revealed to challenge defender Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL):
• INEOS Britannia (GBR)
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI)
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA)
• NYYC American Magic (USA)
• Orient Express Racing Team (FRA)

2023-24 Preliminary Regattas
September 14-17, 2023 (AC40): Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain
November 30-December 2 (AC40): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
August 22-25, 2024 (AC75): Barcelona, Spain

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series*
August 29-September 9: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

*Team New Zealand competes in the round robin stage only, but the results of their races were not included in the challenger leaderboard.

2024 America’s Cup
October 12-27: 37th Match (Best of 13)

For competition details, click here.

Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the Youth America’s Cup and Women’s America’s Cup.

Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Event details: www.americascup.com/en/home