Bowsprit for BMW Oracle?

Sourced from nzherald.co.nz

Oracle have got yachting tongues wagging again, this time with what looks like a bowsprit on their new boat USA87.

During their 2003 America’s Cup, the syndicate had the “goose”, widely rumoured to be a removable laser range finder, at the back of their boat.

They raced with it a couple of times but by general consensus it was more a tool of distraction than navigation.

And in the same regatta, the Americans trialled a second, smaller kite above their spinnaker. It had rivals wondering if they’d discovered a massive speed boost or were playing a joke.

And now USA87, which hit the water for the first time this week, has a pole projecting off the bow. The question is whether it’s real or just a ruse to keep the design spies guessing.

Bowsprits are nothing new to the Cup, first appearing on New Zealand’s NZL20 in 1992. It became the boat’s undoing in the Louis Vuitton Cup final when Il Moro di Venezia protested against it and how it was being used. One of Oracle’s designers, New Zealander Bruce Farr, was also involved in that campaign.

A bowsprit allows better positioning of the forestay to maximise use of the jib or genoa sail. It can allow for a lighter spinnaker pole because you are able to run the tack rope through the end of the pole down to the bowsprit which essentially takes some of the pressure off the pole.

Drag is one disadvantage. While bowsprits are not illegal, the Oracle team, headed by New Zealander Chris Dickson, run the risk of having other syndicates questioning their use of it.

Yachting commentator Peter Lester said he was surprised to hear USA87 had a bowsprit but said it was nothing radical.

“It will cause a bit of debate. Will it be a deal breaker? Absolutely not,” Lester said.

Team Luna Rossa launched their first boat ITA86 in Valencia this week.

Emirates Team New Zealand’s new boat NZL84 is also expected in Spain any day.

Nearly all of the 110-strong team are in Valencia, where they will be based for the next five to six months.

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