There’s not much new that can be said about the teams. They’re among the most well-funded, the best crewed and deeply talented in the challenger field.

Oracle BMW enters the match coming off a 4-0 loss to Alinghi in the semi finals, while OneWorld comes in having defeated and eliminated Prada Challenge, the defending Louis Vuitton Cup champions.

These teams are among the most evenly matched in the Louis Vuitton Cup. But Larry Ellison’s team from the Golden Gate Yacht Club in San Francisco holds a 5-1 lead in head-to-head meetings against Craig McCaw’s and Paul Allen’s team from the Seattle Yacht Club.

Their six races have produced an average finish delta of 26.8 seconds. Although Oracle BMW beat OneWorld 4-0 in the quarter final round by an average of 20 seconds, OneWorld skipper Peter Gilmour says that they’re ready for the rematch.

“We were a bit caught out in that series. We weren’t expecting it to be that windy,” said Gilmour. “I think we’re in better shape now. We won’t be so separate (in moding) from our competitor again. We learned a lesson there.”

OneWorld will sail old true blue USA-67 in the round. Oracle BMW will race its black USA-76.

Aside from that, the most interesting development on the eve of the next round is the unique sail that Oracle BMW Racing presented to peering eyes the other day.

With a spinnaker flying high above the masthead, USA-76 looked more like a giant kite surfer than a US$5 million carbon-fibre sloop.

Kite surfers say their sport combines windsurfing, wakeboarding, paragliding and kite flying into the most radical, extreme three-dimensional water sport. Kiwi clip-ons aside, Oracle BMW’s sail stands to certify it as the most “rad” team in Auckland.

“Our design team has come up with a lot of innovations,” said Ian Burns, Oracle BMW Racing navigator. “This is on the edge of innovation. Anyone who’s flown a kite of that type knows there’s a big advantage to having something of that nature.”

Oracle BMW Racing unveiled the sail during the postponement of the last OneWorld-Prada semi final match on Tuesday when there was no breeze on the water but plenty of onlookers.

“The thing you have to wonder is if you are skilled in using it, wouldn’t you use it secretly or on a semi-regular basis?” said Team New Zealand sail designer Burns Fallow. “It could have some merit. Kites can generate quite large forces. I just don’t know if it would outweigh the conventions of a normal spinnaker.”

According to confidential interpretations filed with ACC Technical Director Ken McAlpine, the sail was first researched as far back as April 2001. The source sought the legality of such a sail and clarification on how it could be flown.

Among the source’s questions were whether a spinnaker may be flown above the halyard exit box on the mast, whether there are limitations on the identification of the head, tack and clew, and whether the head of the sail must be flown above the tack and clew.

Oracle BMW’s sail flew 100 feet above the masthead and was attached to the boat with a halyard and two sheets. It also had a retrieval line, but class rules prohibit the use of that line as a sheet or controlling device. It may only be used to retrieve the sail. Class rules also prohibit intentional openings in the sail, excluding normal cringles.

Oracle BMW had clearly put a lot of thought into the sail. It was covered with telltales to monitor air flow. They also reportedly blew out a bigger version of the sail before displaying the model pictured here.

“We’ve had days on the Hauraki Gulf when there’s almost no wind on the water, but at 300 to 400 feet (elevation) there’s been 20 to 30 knots,” said Burns. “So there are obvious benefits of flying a spinnaker at higher elevation from your masthead.”

Other questions about the sail abound. How would it be hoisted if the winds were calm? How do they keep it from wrapping around the mast? How do they fly it steadily in fluctuating winds? Is there a wind limit where it becomes uncontrollable?

“There could be some logistical things that would make it difficult to use,” said Fallow. “It might be controllable in testing, but on the racecourse there are uncontrollable situations. I imagine getting it wrapped around the mast a few times would be a mess.”

Many who have observed the sail wonder if Oracle BMW Racing is just creating a ruse, stirring the pot to create a distraction.

“A lot of people pointed to the wing keel and thought that was peculiar looking thing too when they saw it compared to some of the other boats out there. Now there’s a lot of wing keels around,” said Burns. “There’s a distinct possibility that it could pay off. The results to date have been interesting.”

Whether it will be used in a race, however, remains to be seen.

Source: Sean McNeill