By JULIE ASH
It was used for just a few seconds in the last America's Cup, but if the conditions are right expect to see Team New Zealand turn to a code zero sail for an edge in the prestart.
The large, light, almost translucent sail is used in fluky conditions to
help the boat accelerate.
It has been used in round-the-world yacht races but Team New Zealand astounded the sailing world when they used it against Prada in race four of the 2000 cup.
The sail was unfurled for just a few seconds three minutes out from the starting gun.
The not-so-secret weapon, which had been spotted by the other challengers before its use, allowed NZL60 to pull away out of a luffing duel and regain control.
"It was a bit of broad thinking," said Team New Zealand's head of sails, Burns Fallow.
"You are not allowed to use spinnakers when sailing upwind. The rules say that, but there is nothing to say you can't use them in the prestart.
"So in certain conditions, that can be pulled out very quickly and used to help get yourself out of tricky situations.
"We only used it in that one race for about 40 seconds but we were coming in on port tack from the disadvantaged situation and it just got us out of that little situation."
In the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series, teams were allowed to use the code zero sail in downwind legs, like normal spinnakers, or in the upwind legs if the umpires flew a purple flag indicating a huge windshift.
But it was only in the challenger final that they were allowed to use them in the prestart.
Neither Alinghi nor Oracle did - the conditions possibly did not warrant its use.
However, Alinghi had practised using the sail both during racing and in the prestarts.
Said Fallow: "In light air I am pretty sure you will see them used again."
nzherald.co.nz/americascup
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