NEW YORK - Now that BMW/Oracle’s next-generation America’s Cup boat, USA 87, has been unveiled, the syndicate is being a little less reluctant to release photos of the boat under sail. And my speculation turns out to be correct* – the distance from the mast to the forestay (or ‘j’) is unchanged, as is the distance from the mast to the stern. So the shortened bow means a shortened boat, with the small bow sprit making up the distance. (And, contrary to one commentor’s suggestion, it is structural, serving as a fairlead attachment for the foreguy/tackline. As Ian Burns told me, “it’s all about j.” Much more to come once this jet lag wears out and I can read my scribbled notes. Now, with byline: –Benjamin Chertoff*Oh yeah, and just about everybody on the design team confirmed this…Previous Posts:America’s Cup Tech RevealedFormula One, Meet H2OUSA 87, foreground, her bowsprit proudly revealed, beats upwind with USA 76 to weather. Photo courtesy BMW ORACLE Racing/Gilles Martin-RagetUSA 87 flying her spinnaker, with USA 76 trailing behind. As suspected, the new boat’s foreguy leads through the bowsprit to the spinnaker. Photo courtesy BMW ORACLE Racing/Gilles Martin-Raget
