Team New Zealand may unveil their latest weapon today, a sail which could sink Luna Rossa's America's Cup hopes in very light airs. Photo / Aidan Nicholas.
Team New Zealand may unveil their latest weapon today, a sail which could sink Luna Rossa's America's Cup hopes in very light airs. Photo / Aidan Nicholas.
With winds at the bottom end of the wind limit predicted for day two of the America's Cup, today could be the day Team New Zealand unveil "The Whomper".
The what.. you may ask? Here is all you need to know about the dramatic sail, including how it is used,when and why.
The Whomper is a large, lightweight, traditional style of sail, forward of the mast which would enable Te Rehutai to keep battling towards the finish line if the wind becomes so light she cannot stay on the foils.
Regatta Director Iain Murray wasn't confident about racing conditions this morning, with about 2-7 knots of breeze from the northeast expected today.
Racing cannot take place if the wind speed is not recorded in excess of 6.5 knots for five continuous minutes on the selected course before a scheduled race.
Additionally, if a race was to begin under marginal conditions, the leading boat has to arrive at the first mark within 12 minutes while the total race time cannot exceed 45 minutes.
However, if wind conditions do meet the threshold for racing to occur, they are likely to be at levels that are extremely challenging for both boats to stay on their foils.
AUT's Sailing Professor Mark Orams was excited about is potential appearance, but said it could also turn against them.
"The only time I can see it being deployed is if it is clear the wind is not going to get up to levels that will allow take-off and foiling and the boats are sailing down wind in displacement mode," he said.
"What would be really scary is if they generated enough power and speed to lift up onto the foils and suddenly the 'whomper' will become a massive liability and definitely become the 'sail of doom'.
"I'd love to see it though ... I'm an old round-the-world sailor where there are no limits, you just use whatever nature hands out to you whether it is zero or 60 knots."
The name for this sail originates from a film that documented Australia's successful America's Cup campaign in 1983 but which steals details from the 1987 campaign during which Alan Bond's Australia IV used a giant spinnaker sail.
The Whomper is "really a description of the asymmetric spinnaker that the Bond syndicate developed for the first reach on the 12 metres that was tacked down off the bow, or through the pole to the bow, as opposed to flying it high on the pole", Murray explained to media during a briefing on Friday.
To put that in terms the general public can understand: it made a "whomp!" sound when filled by the wind.
World champion sailor Phil Robertson told NZME in February that there would be a lot of logistical issues to overcome in furling and unfurling the sail – which would be no good upwind – during a race.
Team New Zealand may unveil their latest weapon today, a sail which could sink Luna Rossa's America's Cup hopes in very light airs. Photo / Aidan Nicholas.
Sailing observers have told the Herald they wondered how teams might combat continuing light winds during a race, after a crazy Christmas Cup clash between Team NZ and Ineos Team UK.
Team NZ were robbed of victory in that race, their massive lead counting for nothing after the boats were stranded in light airs and couldn't satisfy the 45-minute time limit.
