Ed Baird on Multis and AC33*
BYM News Executive Editor Marian Martin now interviews Alinghi´s Ed Baird on the incoming catfight. *Courtesy of Marian and BYMNews www.bymnews.com
BYM:We’ve become a bit confused about the question of tacking a DoG multi. Both Brad and Jimmy Spithill have said they will be very expensive to tack, but we were chatting to Rob Greenhalgh and he didn’t think they would. What have you got to say?
Ed Baird: I think that compared to the 40s it will be a lot more difficult
to have a good tack. The 40s are really nice and very efficient with their tacking. These big boats are going to have a little more going on and it’s going to be more difficult to get through the wind and get going again.
Ed Baird: I think that compared to the 40s it will be a lot more difficult
to have a good tack. The 40s are really nice and very efficient with their tacking. These big boats are going to have a little more going on and it’s going to be more difficult to get through the wind and get going again.…
I mentioned to Jimmy Spithill that most, if not all, G-class multis have broken something and had to go back to the yard for modifications. What are the chances that this won’t happen to your boat?
EB: Yes, we’re going places people haven’t gone before and, whenever you do that, there’s a great risk. Both teams have great designers and builders who will do their very best job, but we are going into an area of boating that’s never been explored before. OK, the big cats and tris that have gone round the world are this size, but they are made for reaching and running and now we are looking at boats that are trying to be efficient upwind and we are also looking at boats that don’t have to make it round the world.
EB: Yes, we’re going places people haven’t gone before and, whenever you do that, there’s a great risk. Both teams have great designers and builders who will do their very best job, but we are going into an area of boating that’s never been explored before. OK, the big cats and tris that have gone round the world are this size, but they are made for reaching and running and now we are looking at boats that are trying to be efficient upwind and we are also looking at boats that don’t have to make it round the world.
Are you personally excited about this?
EB: I’m very excited about seeing what it is going to be and I think it is going to be very historic, because these boats will be something that no-one has gotten a hold of before. That is very exciting, but I’m also apprehensive about what it’s going to take to get it right. We all want to do the smart thing and win.
EB: I’m very excited about seeing what it is going to be and I think it is going to be very historic, because these boats will be something that no-one has gotten a hold of before. That is very exciting, but I’m also apprehensive about what it’s going to take to get it right. We all want to do the smart thing and win.
…
How much multihull racing had you done before this?
EB: I did a little bit in the early ‘90s, I think it was, we had a pro circuit, in the United States, and I sailed Hobie 21s. It’s a pretty basic production boat, set up the same way these 40s are, with a gennaker and a jib, but nowhere near as powerful and exciting. We’d do about 8, or 9 events and it was great fun; not so different from what iShares is doing now, except that it was mostly run off a beach. The people stood on the beach and watched and, at the end of the day, you sailed your boat up the beach and pulled it out of the water. That’s about the total of my experience until now.
EB: I did a little bit in the early ‘90s, I think it was, we had a pro circuit, in the United States, and I sailed Hobie 21s. It’s a pretty basic production boat, set up the same way these 40s are, with a gennaker and a jib, but nowhere near as powerful and exciting. We’d do about 8, or 9 events and it was great fun; not so different from what iShares is doing now, except that it was mostly run off a beach. The people stood on the beach and watched and, at the end of the day, you sailed your boat up the beach and pulled it out of the water. That’s about the total of my experience until now.
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Complete text at BYM News https://www.bymnews.com/august/ed-baird.php
