America’s Cup Trials : No Examination of New Zealand’s Hull
An international yacht racing official said Saturday night that there would be no holes drilled in the hull of New Zealand’s fiberglass KZ7 boat unless “we’re pretty sure something is wrong.”
However, Tony Watts, chief measurer for the International Yacht Racing Union, also said the recommendation of Dennis Conner’s Sail America syndicate that samples be taken from the keels of America’s Cup challengers will be carried out to ensure there are no illegal materials, such as spent uranium, giving greater stability to the boats.
Watts indicated that wouldn’t be done until the conclusion of the three round-robin series in December, before the top four boats advance to the semifinals.
Conner has indicated he will force the issue by filing a protest when his Stars & Stripes meets New Zealand next Wednesday, thus placing the matter in the hands of the race judges for immediate resolution.
New Zealand syndicate chairman Michael Fay said he’ll be ready.
Sail America requested that core samples be extracted from the hull to determine if there is any carbon fiber, a banned material reducing the weight in the bow and stern.
A boat with its weight concentrated in the middle would ride better through choppy seas, such as those encountered off Fremantle. Also, a material heavier than lead would give a boat equal ballast in a smaller keel, thus reducing drag, or greater ballast without increasing keel size.
Doug F. Porter, senior surveyor of the Lloyd’s Register office in Sydney, said the firm “can see no reason for further confirmatory actions such as core sampling of New Zealand’s hull. One of our surveyors was on hand up to 16 hours a day monitoring the construction.”
Meanwhile, out on the race courses, in Saturday’s closest match San Francisco’s USA (3-4) upset Canada II (3-4) by 47 seconds and the New York Yacht Club’s America II (5-1) picked up an easy triumph over Challenge France when the winless French boat (0-6) went to the wrong course and later withdrew.