A Cup

My son and I just got back from San Francisco a couple of hours ago.
We went there to watch the America’s Cup races which were fantastic. We got good seats on the breakwater in front of the Golden Gate Yacht Club where we could see all the action.

I was totally blown away by the speed of these boats. New Zealand can accelerate like a rocket (50.8mph). You can see how fast they are on TV, but when you see them live, it’s unbelievable.

I think USA finally got it figured out. Hope it’s not too late. I think we’ll know by the end of Tuesday’s racing.

We went to a bar in SF after the races to watch the 49ers beat Green Bay before returning to Sacramento. KJ

Thanks for the report and photos KJ. Kept seeing brief glimpses of the large yacht on televised coverage but couldn't make it out. Blowing up your photo its clearly Larry Ellison's Rising Sun. Actually thought he sold it last year.

We thought it was Ellison's also, but she was flying a New Zealand flag off her stern.

There were two mega-sailboats (150ft+) there also flying Kiwi flags.

There were a couple of super-yachts down by Berkeley that might have been one of his, or he might have been on one of the chase boats.

I'm sure he's not a happy camper tonight. KJ

Great photos, KJ. Wish I knew you were in the area. Sacramento is my 'hood. Would have enjoyed tipping a beer with you. Hope you enjoyed the experience.

I'll be here for the rest of Sept, unless my son kicks me out before then or a hurricane threatens to sink my boat in S Carolina.

I'm planning on going back to SF on Tues/Thurs and again on the weekend, providing the Kiwi's haven't mopped us up by then.

Love to have a brewski with you. I'll pm you info. KJ

Tomorrow Thursday will be fun to watch I should have waited on selling Kiwi Magic until after the series but don't like being a two boat owner

Wow, what an exciting day! What an unbelievable comeback!

Sept. 18 NZ 8 USA 1

Sept. 25 NZ 8 USA 9

The crowd was totally crazy.

My son and I got to see the whole thing. I even got to shake hands with Jimmy Spithill and be on the local (Sacramento) evening news.

I feel bad for the Kiwi’s, they were just two minutes away from winning the whole thing in race #14 when it was called off due to exceeding the time limit because of light air.

Oracle went into the shed and tweaked the boat and came out much faster.

And the rest as they say “is history”. KJ

America’s Cup visitor “Athena”.

The 295ft gaff rigged superyacht is the fourth largest sailing yacht in the world. She was commissioned by Jim Clark, founder of Netscape and Silicon Graphics, and launched in 2004. She competed in the “America’s Cup Classic Yacht” regatta. She’s a beauty! KJ

She is magnificent, and probably cost a lot less than Oracle.

Speaking of Oracle, what will happen to her?

Andy,
Ain't it grand.
Australia beat NZ in the America's Cup.
I didn't think we stood a chance a few days ago.
Cheers
Benn

Back to fortune telling, I guess...in answer to Andy's question, which you buggered up Benn by sticking one in, and a skite to boot, just when I hit the save button.

PS. Both boats were built in NZ, just for the record...

Tidahapah said:

Andy,
Ain't it grand.
Australia beat NZ in the America's Cup.
I didn't think we stood a chance a few days ago.
Cheers
Benn

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What? No love for the Brit?

Like Yogi said," It ain't over till it's over".

Andy G said:

She is magnificent, and probably cost a lot less than Oracle.

Speaking of Oracle, what will happen to her?

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Jim Clark had her up for sale a couple of years ago for over $100 million.

If they change venues for the next Cup, they probably won't use these same boats again.

They will probably go on tour to promote the next event or Oracle might wind up in Ellison's back yard. KJ

It was a great race and a lot of fun. We all gave the NZ team a lot of respect for the fight. The NZ fans on the shore that I met were all super nice folks.

Lets not make this a political thing. KJ

KJ,
You just gotta understand the rivalry between Aus and NZ to understand where that was coming from.
It is even more intense than religion but not as dangerous.
Cheers
Benn

Don't worry KJ, we have decided to help sooth the Kiwi hurt. In the next couple of weeks we are going to offer up the sacrificial Wallabies to the All Blacks Harka.

There the tears of woe will turn to anger, and pity the poor bloke at the bottom of the ruck, usually a harmless vegetarian marsupial in a bright yellow jumper.

And the crowd will roar, the avengers will be home grown, and all will be right with the Kiwi world.

You see we really do love them.

You raise a good point, Andy. We've just pissed the whole country off and now they're going to be looking for a bloody (and I mean real blood...not the British 'bloody') payback. I don't think I'd want to be in their sights as their next opponent any time soon.

Great Aussie win, following the spirit of Australia 2 doing exactly the same thing,coming from behind when all seemed hopeless, on the very same day in 1983. Except we don`t get to take the Cup home.
I think Australia 2 is in a museum in Australia.Anyone recall which?
Oracle`s future?

BruceK said:

Oracle`s future?

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Perhaps a new tender for Larry Ellison's yacht?

Brits view of finish:

Boat wins America’s Cup

BruceK said:

Great Aussie win, following the spirit of Australia 2 doing exactly the same thing,coming from behind when all seemed hopeless, on the very same day in 1983. Except we don`t get to take the Cup home.
I think Australia 2 is in a museum in Australia.Anyone recall which?
Oracle`s future?

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Maritime Museum in Fremantle I think Bruce - pretty sure she was there when we visitied in 2005 anyway.

What's this "thing" about Australian sailors? My theory is that Australians are 30 years behind the USA socially, and while the USA has declined, the Aussies are still on the rise.

>My theory is that Australians are 30 years behind the USA socially,<

You mean they still allow FREE SPEECH down under?

We don't consider ourselves behind anyone. Not that we are necessarily in front, - just that we aren't following.

markpierce said:

What's this "thing" about Australian sailors? My theory is that Australians are 30 years behind the USA socially, and while the USA has declined, the Aussies are still on the rise.

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Yes, Mark, you might want to re-think that theory...

IMHO, Americans could learn quite a bit from the Kiwis and Aussies socially, myself included.

Athena gets around, here it was in Papeete last year.

Hey Rick,
I wonder how often they actually sail her.
Do you know what power she has installed.
Cheers
Benn

Tidahapah said:

Hey Rick,
I wonder how often they actually sail her.
Do you know what power she has installed.
Cheers
Benn

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You would be surprised Benn....She was first to finish (not really a surprise, longest waterline) in the SuperYacht Cup racing that went on before the AC started. And during racing I saw her out under sail a few times. These big boats get around, but mostly she will be motorsailing without the owner aboard. They were up here (in BC) in early July. Now I would guess she'll be off for winter in the Med or South Pacific perhaps.

She's big, just short of 200' on the waterline with 40' beam, displacement about 1150 tons. Power is twin Cats, 3516B's putting out 2000HP at 1600 RPM, 3.4:1 red turning 1600mm dia variable pitch props. She also has 3 main Cat generators of 340KW each (plus an emergency gen of 97KW) and carries 100,000 l of fuel. Bow and stern thrusters are 275HP each.