Another keel reveal day has come and gone in Auckland and many are scratching their heads, wondering about Team New Zealand. Confounding armchair admirals around the world, the defenders of the Cup kept the hula in place. What’s more, they opted for the long, cigar-shaped bulb.

In 2000 many of those same admirals said that Team New Zealand was leading people astray by the winglet placement in the middle of the ballast bulb. Now, not only have they induced friction drag with the hula, but they’ve adding wetted surface area with such a large ballast bulb. And, the winglets are in the middle again.

Why go with so much drag? Especially against a boat, Alinghi, that hasn't had a major modification since last July; just slight tweaks and refinements along the way?

The answer is simple. It’s the complete package that produces boatspeed, not a single element. What may be a detriment in one area or condition could be a bigger benefit in another.

“We’ve compensated for the extra wetted surface in other areas,” said Team New Zealand designer Clay Oliver. “We have more rounded hull sections, less u-shaped. Because of the hula (and the flatter stern counter angle), we haven’t had to squish the bottom of the hull up into the bilge. We have a softer hull form with less wetted surface.”

While we’re forced to wait until at least Saturday for concrete results from the racing, here are some photos and opinions to pass the time.

Alinghi unveiled what is considered to be a very wholesome boat. Above decks they’re sporting new standing rigging for the mast tube that they used in the Louis Vuitton Cup Final. The new rigging is complete with double cap shrouds. Two shrouds reduce frontal windage as compared to a single, large-diameter shroud. The keel strut, ballast bulb and winglets were very similar to what was shown at the unveiling day prior to the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup Final. “Alinghi has come up with a very conservative development of a 2000-generation boat,” observed naval architect David Pedrick.

One difference design coordinator Grant Simmer noted was in bow shapes. At left is the bow as it looked before the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup while at right is the bow as it was shown today. While it may not look much different, the bottom knuckle has been moved forward. Simmer explained: “There’s a steeper angle from the first knuckle to the second. It makes the boat a little shorter and allows more sail area. The boat is slightly blunter in the bow. One thing in this class, there isn’t much downside to a blunt bow, so people have been packing more volume into the bow of their boats.”

Compared to each other, the keel packages on Alinghi (left) and Team New Zealand are drastically different. Alinghi’s appears more conventional. Team New Zealand’s long, flat shape has more wetted surface area, but there’s a benefit to the overall package. “There’s a minor righting moment benefit with the bulb long and low,” said Pedrick. “The boat stands more upright and the sails generate more drive and power.”

Team New Zealand selected NZL-82 as its steed for the 31st Cup Match. It has one inherent advantage over Alinghi’s SUI-64 – it’s much younger. NZL-82 was launched in last October while SUI-64 has been sailing since November 2001. But, does Team New Zealand have a silver bullet in the hula? One rival designer isn’t sure. “The execution of the hula – despite the fact I don’t think it should be allowed and I don’t think rule allows it – is pretty good,” said Bruce Farr, chief designer for Oracle BMW Racing. “They’ve done a good job of utilizing the notion to get more effective length. I think the back end is pretty good. But I’m not so keen on the front end. I would much prefer Alinghi’s bow than this one. Alinghi may be getting some benefit at the front end.”

Source: Event Press