Sailors or just Monkeys...?
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Keelboat classes
Forum Name: America's Cup
Forum Discription: Your thoughts on challenges to win the 'Auld Mug'
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12765
Printed Date: 11 May 25 at 7:54pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Sailors or just Monkeys...?
Posted By: ColH
Subject: Sailors or just Monkeys...?
Date Posted: 08 Jun 17 at 7:59pm
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No disrespect to the irrefutable athleticism, but it seems that only half the crew has any need to know the first thing about sailing.....? (And I mean more than just knowing when to run from one pit to the other). In the monohull days, didn't every crew-member need to be able to trim a sail, set a spinnaker pole height, etc? |
Replies:
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 08 Jun 17 at 8:22pm
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Wow, no beating about the bush. I would imagine they are all sailors, motivation reasons alone, who would want to sit in those tight spaces and not know why.
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Posted By: ColH
Date Posted: 08 Jun 17 at 8:30pm
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Lol, I was pushed for time! I think they're not all sailors. Doesn't someone - TNZ, I guess - have someone who is just an Olympic cyclist? (Sure, a medal winner, but not a sailor). If it was just for hydraulic pressure, then you could slap a diesel engine in the boat and save more weight than those hefty buggers?! Like I say, they sure are Fit As, I just wonder if it ultimately adds to the sailing competition.... :) |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 08 Jun 17 at 8:56pm
Nope. The Australian team that won the cup in '83, for instance, had a couple of Olympic rowers in the squad as winch grinders. |
Posted By: ColH
Date Posted: 08 Jun 17 at 9:04pm
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Awww, ok - I stand corrected! Still stand by my general point though - but maybe I've not sailed big enough boats. (Any chance there's a J-Class out there that's needing me to fly out and help them out next week....?) |
Posted By: NickA
Date Posted: 10 Jun 17 at 8:18pm
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I think in the Oracle vs Alinghi Americas Cup (in those huge dissimilar multi-hulls) they did have engines to power the hydraulics. Got banned in the next iteration. But, yes, why employ sailors ..Ben should have got Brad, Froomy and Garaint Evans on exercise bikes places along the centre line, then done the rest himself by flicking switches. ;¬) Bring back ropes? ------------- Javelin 558 Contender 2574 |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 11 Jun 17 at 7:23am
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Never heard the term rail meat? Big guys to hold the boat flat upwind, who often had no idea how to do anything else, but enjoyed the post sail beer as much as anyone, probably more! ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 11 Jun 17 at 9:46am
wow , a few derogatory terms in this topic 
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Posted By: ColH
Date Posted: 11 Jun 17 at 2:34pm
Oops yeah -no offence meant by my choice of topic title. Like I say, I have huge admiration for the supreme fitness levels |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 11 Jun 17 at 3:32pm
| FD Gorilla, always raises a grin. |