Carbon Balls

It's a slow day in the Port America's Cup today as the teams take a break between Acts 10 and 11. A hazy, hot and humid morning gave way to a cool, foggy afternoon reminiscent of summer in San Francisco.

The only two team bases with visible action are the Spanish and Act 10 winner Oracle. The new ESP 88 sailed yesterday for the first time, and has docked out again today for another shakedown. Their sail yesterday was short. Structural problems? Or just being Spanish and wanting to get back in early for an afternoon siesta?

Oracle, on the other hand, had to race a make-up match yesterday against +39 and this morning are back at it. Today they launched 87 (unless one of their other boats now has a bowsprit) and went for a sail. Dickson the taskmaster doesn't let any grass grow on his stones.

The media center has a commanding view of the Darsena, a.k.a. Port America's Cup, especially the Luna Rossa and Oracle bases. As we sat here this afternoon watching Oracle's bowsprit-boat towing out to the Med, it suddenly dawned on us that it has a (the?) jumperless rig. Previously, that stick has been in what we were told is their 2003 sprit-less boat USA 76. Racing in Act 10, 87 used a conventional three-spreader rig with jumpers.

Is this just relentless testing by Oracle on a day that most other teams have taken off? Or is USA 87 going to appear on the starting line for Act 11 tomorrow with a jumperless rig? The media vets say it would be the first time any ACC yacht has raced without jumpers. No one seems to be sure whether 12-Metres and J-Boats before them all had jumpers.

The only other team that so far has shown off a "naked stick" is Alinghi. Will theirs come on line tomorrow as well? As for Oracle, assuming they do go naked, how many other teams would win a regatta and turn around a day later and change rigs? Either they are very confident in their new technology, or have carbon balls. Maybe both?

05/19/06