America's Cup World Series in Newport by Doris Colgate

The America’s Cup Up Close and Personal

July 2nd, 2012 

During the Sail America industry conference last week, Steve and I had the amazing opportunity to tour the America’s Cup compound at Fort Adams off Newport, Rhode Island . . . AND watch the races Wednesday afternoon. To say those 45′ super high performance catamarans are exciting is an understatement! They accelerate in no time flat, can capsize (though we didn’t see that happen on Wednesday), and require 150% of the skipper and crew, who each wear heart monitors that record consistent heartbeats of over 180.

Italian Entry Luna Rossa Swordfish Being Launched

The whole program is designed for spectators. Organizers call it “Stadium Racing” and it seems like just that as the entire course is visible from land, with boats tacking and jibing right close to shore. The eight boats racing represented 6 countries – the U.S., Korea, France, Sweden and Italy.
The actual America’s Cup races will take place in September 2013 in San Francisco Bay on 72′ catamarans with 160′ (I think) masts. In 2012 the teams have been training on 45 footers, with regattas run in various ports around the world. Prior to coming to Newport, they raced in Venice, Italy. How cool is that????

The magnitude of the operation, which in total moves from venue to venue, is hard to describe. But here goes:

• Eight huge “tents” side by side, one for each team
• Official race headquarters – the hub of all activities
• A separate sail loft for sail repairs
• A huge crane that travels with the whole shebang with one crane operator dedicated to the delicate task of putting in and taking out the rigs each day, and launching the boats
• Press center
• Visitors center
• Sponsor centers
• A superb set of billboards providing the history of the Cup
• Stores chock-a-block with t-shirts, polos, jackets and other logo souvenirs for each team
• Food centers, vip centers and so much more
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  The Two U.S. Entries - Oracle Coutts and Oracle Spithill - Side By Side

My husband and founder of Offshore Sailing School, Steve Colgate, raced on Twelve Metres in the America’s Cup Trials in 1967 and 1970. In those days teams trained over the summer for the final trials in the fall. The races were relatively slow and long, with spectator boats just about the only way to catch a glimpse of what was going on. Maybe a million dollars was spent on a campaign. Now it is in the hundreds of millions or more. Now the races are 22 or 32 minutes long. The boats can go double the wind speed (reaching more than 20 knots in moderate air). And you can see the whole thing from the shore or from your computer, tablet, phone or TV. Even if you don’t know how to sail or don’t understand racing, you’ll get it! Big time!

France's Team Energy "Tent" In The Compound

Yesterday (Sunday, July 1) the final races in Newport were broadcast nationwide on NBC at 2:30 p.m. with Gary Jobson explaining every move. He too has sailed in the America’s Cup, is a world-class sailor and commentator who covers sailing in the Olympics and just about every other major sailing event, and is currently President of US Sailing (the national governing body of sailing in the U.S).

With mics on every boat, cameras, GPS, flashing lights to tell them when they get too close to outer limits of the course or within a two boat length of a mark, and every other gadget – you will feel like you are aboard too.
You don’t have to wait until the next set of regattas, check it all out at the offical America’s Cup site and see what I mean. To get a glimpse of what it’s like to be aboard one of these catamarans as a spectator, take a look at SAIL Magazine’s video: http://www.sailmagazine.com/cup-watch/crewforaday. The magazine recently ran a contest offering a ride during a race to the winner of a short essay. His story is fun.

If you want to get into racing, Offshore Sailing School has a super Performance Sailing and Racing program. Check it out!

Doris Colgate
CEO and President, Offshore Sailing School