What will actually decide winners and losers in America’s Cup design? A technical deep dive with a designer who’s free to say what the teams can’t.
Juan Kouyoumdjian is one of the world’s top authorities on yacht design. He’s spent 30 years designing winning round-the-world boats and working on America’s Cup projects. Right now he isn’t attached to a Cup team, so for once there’s nothing stopping him talking.
Niall Myant-Best asks him:
• Which of the reused AC75 hulls has a head start, and which team faces an uphill battle?
• Why the hull isn’t a hull any more, but a fuselage built to make the sails work harder?
• Where the real gains sit in foil deformation, and the new wording in the rule that more than one team will be trying to exploit?
• How far you can push automated sail trim before the human in the loop becomes the limit?
• The piece of technology he thinks would be decisive in Naples, that nobody appears to have built yet.
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The Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup will be defended in Naples in 2027 by five-time America’s Cup winner, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron represented by their team, @EmiratesTeamNZ .
#AmericasCup #AC38 #Naples2027
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Was this too technical? Where’s the performance edge this America’s Cup cycle?
Avrò visto questa intervista almeno 10 volte e l'ho inoltrata più volte ad amici velisti. Ci sono veramente tanti spunti di ottimizzazione. Posso dire che e l'intervista tecnica più bella di sempre proprio per la qualità dell'ospite e per quanto ha dichiarato da figura neutrale 👍💛. L'intervistatore ha dichiarato che era un ex progettista, adesso si spiega tutto 👏👏👏👏😀il" top level"😮 di questo documento🎉.Grandi "over the Top". Sono un amante di vecchie barche IOR è regato con una barca IOR un Peterson-Cossutti 42 classe C in ORC mi piace tanto. Ma questa Coppa America moderna mi fa impazzire con questi super velisti e questi progettisti che provengono da altri pianeti 😊❤️
Agree – there's a huge appetite for the hyper-technical analysis.
IMHO, much of this automated trim guidance with a "human in the loop" originates from ETNZ's loss to Oracle USA in 2013 when Oracle was (legally) using computerised systems to provide trim guidance – something ETNZ thought was outside the rules, but which the measurement committee validated a week before the match. Oracle took that lay day on 16th September 2013 to optimise the system, which is one of several explanations for Oracle's successful fight back from 8-1 down. That lesson has stuck with ETNZ ever since – push the technology to the limit of the rules.
Great insights! Thanks for sharing. Can't wait for the spring…
Very very interesting deepening. I think you nailed the focus which is not every and each single detail, but understanding where the focuses are.
YouTube has changed over the years. There are fewer serious videos from folk who know their subject and more click bait social media topics from those manipulating the payment algorithm.
Sadly, idiots are two a penny, experts few and far between.
Ask yourself, how many people reading this threat know the difference between VMC and VMG, let alone care about it?
Hardly surprising, the race commentators have been selected for their ability to waffle interminably, not their knowledge of sailing.
great interview Niall
I'm assuming but would love confirmation, that the guest will be like a handicapped horse. There is a maximum weight and any guest under that on each boat will be sandbagged up to it if they are light, so all boat's GUESTS weigh the same. Otherise your guest would be a 5yo each time.
❤ intervista fantastica, complimenti.
A recumbent cycling position is more comfortable than an upright one. I invented the recumbent pedal winch in 1998
Amazing stuff, especially the helmet viser and info reading the wind. Would it be possible, yes, I belevie for the 38th AC there would be the start of that tech.
The team that bribes the BONESAW SAUDIES always wins……fact.
This was awesome.
More of this please!
Excellent conversation! This is the America's Cup content I want. More of this please!
We want even more technical! This is a great step in the right direction !
Tell us about the compressed air cheat on Taihoros rudder. Grow a pair.
Nieall! In my humble opinion this was the very Best I've seen from your hsnd and very high among all modern AC journalism!
If the insights you mannaged to raise in this intellectual duel with Juan were ever incorporated into the commentary track on yhe race course it would a smaching hit. Keep it up !
(and that enthusiasm about the technical aspects of sailing would also hugly improve the format of yhe ongoing reporing on the Atlantic Race.Appently, there are plenty of energy which is available, and that could lift these up considerably – this last said with all the best i intensions).
Remember when the first winged keel showed up in Newport and what a commotion it caused??😊😮
More of this insight. Much more. Both technical, construction, actuators, rate of adjustment, power consumption, everything. These boats are such black boxes. No real understanding of what systems are being used. Hydraulic vs Electric vs LMS etc is in the public domain. Not even, how is ride height monitored and controlled. We want to know all of this…..
Torsion vs bending. Where did we see this done before? Ah yes, F1!
bullshit
Missing a wind shift elimates any tech advantage
Had to pause this 12 mins as missus wants to go the beach. Love the technical stuff and missing Mozzy. Keep it technical