35th America's Cup, part 3 of interview with Tom Slingsby of Team Oracle USA

From the following interview on Sail-World by Rob Kothe:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Tom-Slingsby---Americas-Cup-at-the-Extremes-and-Olympics-(Part-III)/117012

This is part three of the three part Sail-World interview with Tom Slingsby, Olympic Gold Medallist and Oracle Team USA 34th AC strategist who is returning to the Oracle Team for AC35.

‘Foiling made the 34th Cup the spectacle it was but it was pretty extreme racing.

‘On the AC72’s we could only adjust the main foil. We couldn’t adjust the rudder foil. I think if we could adjust the rudder foil, obviously not computer automated but if you could adjust the angle of a tack of a rudder foil you would have better foiling upwind and it would make it a lot safer also.

If the wind picked up 10 knots in a race you wouldn’t be stuck with the max lift setting and it wouldn’t be anywhere near as dangerous. You adjust it and get to your 20 knot setting and not your 10 knots setting and the boat would sail a lot safer.

‘I hope you are allowed to adjust the rudder angle and then all of a sudden the performance of the boats will go through the roof just with that one adjustment to the rule.  

read more here

'Oracle Team USA foiling - 34th America’s Cup'    Chuck Lantz ©