AC75 vs F50 vs Gitana 18 on a standard America’s Cup course — who wins?
Posted by QuiVenitInNomine@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 4 comments
Settle an argument for me.
You have:
- an AC75
- an F50
- and Gitana 18
Assume equally skilled world class crews.
Course is basically a standard America’s Cup setup:
- proper windward/leeward legs
- longer than SailGP
- relatively stable Mediterranean conditions, like Cagliari
My instinct is:
- F50 probably has the best raw acceleration and “holy crap” reaching speed
- AC75 maybe has the best actual VMG and course efficiency
- Gitana 18 is probably the fastest boat in a straight-up ocean drag race but loses too much in maneuvers
So over an actual AC-style course I think:
- AC75
- F50
- Gitana 18
But I could also imagine the F50 winning if:
- the course gets tighter,
- maneuvers matter more,
- or conditions favor continuous high apparent-wind blasting.
The really weird part is that Gitana 18 seems to be the most powerful boat here overall, but also the least suited to the format.
TriXandApple@reddit
1) F50
2) AC75
3) Gitana
It's not even close. Gitana out the back because the other two have finished their downwind leg before gitana has put a single tack in.
F50 is just quicker that AC75. I don't know where you got the idea that AC75 has better VMG.
the-montser@reddit
I’m pretty sure someone looked at the numbers last cup cycle and the AC75 did in fact have better upwind and downwind VMG, but I haven’t been able to find that again so I could be remembering wrong.
But I wouldn’t be surprised. The AC75 can sail with negative leeway upwind and also has much more righting moment than an F50.
TriXandApple@reddit
There's no way AC75 has more righting moment that a cat, relative to it's centre of pressure.
Also the F50 has a wing sail.
QuiVenitInNomine@reddit (OP)
Yeah now that I think about it the AC40s have been nosediving a lot when rounding the mark in Cagliari. F50s turn like they’re on rails.