Please select your home edition
Edition
Ovington 2021 - ILCA 1 - LEADERBOARD

America's Cup- Oracle Team USA under stress

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz on 27 May 2014
Neil Wilkinson working on the AC72 foil test bed - with the foil at rest - Oracle Team USA Guilain Grenier Oracle Team USA http://www.oracleteamusamedia.com/
Over the past three weeks, two NZ designers and engineers, Neil Wilkinson (Oracle Team USA) and Andy Kensington (Emirates Team NZ) have been on a lecture tour as part of the Institute of Professional Engineers NZ's centenary, sponsored by Beca.

Late last week, Sail-World published a summary of the key points of the lecture.

Missing were some additional images which were shown after the lecture concluded. Neil Wilkinson has kindly provided these images, which are in two sets.

The first set shows the test bed developed by Oracle Team USA after they broke their first set of foils (teams were allowed to make a maximum of 10 foils under the cost-restriction rules that governed the 34th America's Cup).

The test bed was developed by Oracle Team USA so that all foils could be tested off the boat, under the load conditions that were expected when sailing. As was described in the story from the lecture there was an upwards lift (the horizontal component on the test bed) of around 6000kgs and a side (vertical component on the test bed of 7000kgs). These forces combined to induce substantial deflection in the carbon foil which is apparent in these two shots.

(The images are actually of different foils, but the amount of deflection is essentially the same.)

As well as testing foils on this test bed, the teams also conducted structural testing on the platform, using similar techniques - anchoring one point of the platform, and then using a hoist to apply the expected load to various points of the platform.





The second set of images are a new view of Oracle Team USA, taken from a camera mounted on the top of the crane used to raise the wingsail and then the assembled AC into the water, showing the profile of the AC72 from a set position.







Our thanks to IPENZ and Beca

Related Articles

Transat Paprec Day 13
Cap Saint Barth has lit the fire! Competitors in the Transat Paprec - a race organized by OC Sport Pen Duick - and those familiar with the charts have become accustomed to it: Cap St Barth has been at the forefront since the start.
Posted today at 4:56 pm
International Moth Inlands at Grafham Water
Marginal foiling conditions for the 14 competitors Despite a forecast predicting light winds, a total of fourteen Foiling Moths entered the Inlands at Graham Water Sailing Club.
Posted today at 4:25 pm
Hyde Sails Job Vacancies
Yacht Sales Representative and Sales & Marketing Assistant required Hyde Sails are pleased to be hiring for two positions based in our Hamble Sales Office. Established in 1964, Hyde Sails manufacture around 40,000 sails per year from our modern factory in the far east.
Posted today at 3:00 pm
National Family Island Regatta of the Bahamas
Observations from the outside of the 69th running of the event I have much experience racing sailboats of many sizes in many settings, and much experience as a race organizer for national and international sailing events. This year I attended a Bahamian Wooden Sloop Regatta for the first time.
Posted today at 2:38 pm
Team Race World Championship returns
In a month's time when the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court The past decade for team racing has featured the emergence of a new, spectator-friendly format and the continued spread of the discipline around the globe.
Posted today at 1:38 pm
Streakers set for Golden Jubilee Nationals
Set to smash their attendance record at Rutland in July The Streaker Class is set to smash their Nationals attendance record when they gather at Rutland Water in July for the Noble Marine Streaker Golden Jubilee National Championships.
Posted today at 1:18 pm
D-Zero Open at Bough Beech
Greeted by a light breeze twirling all over the place Saturday 12th April saw the 2nd event of the D-Zero national traveller series held at Bough Beech SC in sunny Kent. 4 visitors & 2 home D-Zeros were greeted by a light breeze twirling all over the place.
Posted today at 1:13 pm
Musto Skiffs at the Ullswater Daffodil Regatta
Definitely making up for last year's challenging conditions Ullswater definitely made up for last year's challenging conditions and delivered an absolute classic weekend of Musto Skiff racing at the 2025 Daffodil Regatta, with plenty of smiles and swims thrown in throughout all seven races.
Posted today at 12:35 pm
Tamesis Firefly Elizabeth Cup and Junior Cup 2025
Bacon rolls on arrival, tasty lunches, delicious cake and glorious spring weather A round dozen Fireflys congregated at Tamesis Club on Saturday 26th April for the annual Elizabeth Cup and even-more-coveted Junior Cup.
Posted today at 12:26 pm
ILCA Eastern GP Open at Waldringfield
A fleet of 35 sailors for the opening event of the circuit A fleet of 35 sailors descended on Waldringfield on 27th April for our ILCA Open, the opening event on the new ILCA Eastern GP circuit.
Posted today at 7:57 am