The spying game

Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team's Tom Weaver reflects on 12 Cup teams who have their boats unskirted in Malmo

Tom Weaver, manager of Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team, spends a few minutes reflecting on the upcoming Acts, bulbs and wings…

What are you doing to get ready for the upcoming Acts?

TW: “The first thing that we had to do was prepare the base before the sailing team arrives. Initially it was little more than a parking lot. 20 people arrived early to deal with logistics, administration and shore team operations. Our travelling containers are getting pretty well set-up. Of course, after the Italian Acts in October we will not need the stuff again…and we were getting so good at it. What a shame!”

What is different about Malmo?

TW: “There has been an in-built obsession with secrecy ever since 1983 when the Australians shrouded their keel and then won the America’s Cup. We have been obsessed with protecting the secrets of our boats. This year we are prevented from skirting boats and, as we are all on top of one another here, it gives us all the opportunity to look at each other 'naked'. Eeew. Some of it isn’t pretty! At first it’s really uncomfortable and we all try to not openly stare but now we are getting used to it. In fact we are all liking it!”

So, you’re saying that there is spying taking place in Malmo?

TW: “No its called observing! There are constantly little groups from each team wandering nonchalantly past the front of each base - each person carefully studying particular parts of boats: keels, bulbs, wings, masts, spreaders and other detail fittings we have never been this close to before”.

Have you discovered anything interesting?

TW: “It is a remarkable opportunity for the smaller teams to see exactly what all the other teams are trying without needing a massive 'observation budget'. It’s like a giant trade fair where all the latest AC gadgets and toys are on display. From a layman’s point of view, it is incredible that with all the money being spent on keel research there is still no consensus on bulb shape”.

Tell me more about bulbs?

TW: “They are 20,000 kg of lead that keep the boat upright while providing counter to the sails which are driving the boat forward. The deeper the bulb is the more power the boat can use. There are two schools of thought. Conventional low drag bulbs look like a killer whale - quite fat and has low wetted surface. Currently Alinghi, Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team and Luna Rossa are using this shape. Then there is the 'high stability bulb' that is very long and thin - it looks like a barracuda. Some of the bulbs on display are over 7m long; the center of effort is low but the trade-off is more wetted surface area which will increase drag. Oracle and K Challenge have been using this shape and two nights ago Emirates Team New Zealand changed to this shape too”.

Bulbs are more than just whale and fish shaped lumps of lead. What’s the story with the wings?

TW: “Added to the bulbs are the winglets which were first made famous in 1983 on Australia II. They shed the vortex that the bulb creates. They can create lift upwind and affect all sorts of complicated fluid dynamic interactions. The wings during this event seem to be all over the place. In the wind tunnel and with advanced computer modelling we see that only one position seems to be effective, but in real-size testing we get different answers. Walking down 'Cup row' in Malmo it is easy to see that there is no consensus. We see wings at the back, wings in the middle, wings low down, short fat wings, long skinny wings, etc... I think we should sit all of these expensive designers around a table with a keg of beer and really sort this out once and for all”.

Do you think you will have the answers by 2007?

TW: “No. From January 2006 all of the teams will go back behind the high walls of their bases in Valencia. They will be able to skirt their boats and no one will know what they’re using. Here and in Trapani are the last opportunities for us and the public to get inside the heads of the teams”.

How is it inside those heads?

TW: “I’m not qualified to answer that. We need some psychoanalysts to take a look at some of the shapes I have seen on 'Cup Row'.

How is it inside the head of Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team?

TW: “Focused. We have survived the enormous stress of starting-up and we are now settling into the program of planning and developing. The group is working well together; we are focusing on the big picture and using Malmo Acts 6&7 to learn more about ourselves and the other teams. My job is to keep the guys minds in the game long term, not an easy task with all the blonde distractions here in Malmo. I might lose that battle!”.