Dean Barker
Foto copyright Richard Gladwell
Interesante reportaje a Dean Barker, versión original en inglés.
Dean Barker explains America's Cup Challenges
Thu, 26 Jul 2007
Just over seven hours after Emirates Team New Zealand CEO, Grant Dalton stated in a live television interview in New Zealand that his team would have to move very carefully in regard to the next America’s Cup; didn’t want to make mistakes and realised that they were something of a Kingmaker in the current dispute; it was announced in Valencia that Emirates Team New Zealand had entered the next America’s Cup.
Sail-World spoke with Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker following that announcement and asked why the longest running and most successful team in the modern America’s Cup had entered at this early stage?
The key reason is that it allows us to be involved in the design process for the new class, which is a very good incentive, when you are in a challenging position because of the extra time it gives you. Certainly this time compared to over previous Cup campaigns we don’t have the breathing space to sit there and figure whether we’re able to get going by October (when the new rule is announced). You have to be underway now.
Last time we had over a year from the time we lost in 2003 until the time we were set up to go again. And, yet we were still able to catch up enough to get through the Louis Vuitton Series This time we just don’t have that time available and need to start building the new boat early next year.
In spite of having the concession made about having an input to the new rule drafting process, Emirates Team New Zealand has seen nothing, and is as much in the dark on the exercise as anyone else. 'The only thing that they are talking about governing are length, sail area and draft', explains Barker. 'It will depend on what they are trying to create. If they are going to use a Box Rule they might try and limit displacement. What they might try and limit in an appendage package is another thing.
'The only hints we have had have been what’s in their press conference. Potentially there will be 21 people on the boat. There has really been no discussion on the specifics of what to expect. It is hard to imagine they are going to throw it open and allow any 90ft boat, as this time they want to narrow the parameters down so that they know people are going to go spearing into different corners of the rule, and they want to limit what can be achieved.
'It is a decision on their part as to whether they try and create a more spectacular event with bigger and faster boats and try to do their best to limit massive margins between the boats. Or, do you try and create a rule which is reasonably well governed and sailing boats which are reasonably close in performance? The risk with the Box Rule and wide rule parameters is that you won’t get a lot of teams entering, and that there will be big discrepancies between the boats. So, it doesn’t make for a great event.
'The teams that have entered now will be involved in the rule design process. Those that haven’t won’t. Alinghi/ACM haven’t said what the process will be for us to make input, however we are expecting the first meeting to be in September.
'In New Zealand much was made of the we'll let you build two boats – but only sail one at a time - rule which was announced at the Alinghi Press Conference in New Zealand. The quote played from Ernesto Bertarelli said that the teams would only be allowed to build two canoes, presumably he meant two canoe bodies (the measurement/design term for the hull only without rig and appendages). The mistranslation was quickly picked up by the sports-jocks and branded the 'Two Waka Rule' ('Waka' meaning canoe in the Maori language)
Barker seemed a little bemused by the Two Waka Rule, and it seemed to have come out of left field for Emirates Team New Zealand. 'It’s an interesting one', he commented ' because how on earth are you going to ever evaluate performance differences when you can’t two-boat test?
'Under the rule, you can only sail one boat or the other boat (but can’t 'line up' the two against each other). So your ability to measure performance is very limited. The ability to sail against another team will be the only way we will be allowed to measure performance.
'We also don’t want to limit ourselves to just one shot at getting it right and will need to have two options there. How you get to the best space in the new 90ft Class Rule is one of the things that we are still talking about.
'When the point was put to Barker that really it was just a matter of finding a work-around for the rule, and that one work around for this rule was to heavily invest in computer modelling technology to test real against virtual boats and other computer enhanced testing, rather than just engage in on the water testing.
'Previously we have done a huge amount of CFD work, modelling and VPPs’ but in the end we still have to quantify it with what we see on the water.
'With the new class we will have two different paths to go down and then see which one works out.
'The tools that we are now using for V5 ACC yachts won’t work with what we think will be a potential planing type hull rather than a displacement boat. The software and computer technology that we are using now won’t be good enough to evaluate the performance of the new boats', Barker added.
'You are going to need to have a way of checking back between boats on both design, and structures. It would be very risky to have all your eggs in one basket. If you have a problem with one boat you need something to fall back on.
'The takeout from these comments is that while the intention may be to reduce costs with the 'Two Waka Rule' the lesson of history that such cost reduction measures only serve to shift cost from one area of spending to another, and all up total spending increases.
In Emirates Team New Zealand’s case the shift was always going to be in more design resource – one quote from CEO Grant Dalton was that they were going to have to double their design resources with the change in class, and to get more speed. Later in this interview, Dean Barker conceded that Emirates Team New Zealand felt they were underdone in the design area in the 2003-2007 campaign, and even staying with the ACC V5 class the guess is that design-spend would have increased substantially.
All this was before the announcement of the Two Waka Rule, which will probably cause an even bigger design budget, than had been intended for a traditional two boat program.
Another area which attracted much comment on sports radio in Auckland, today was the announcement that as a result of Two Waka rule the Defenders would be sailing in the Challenger Selection Series – a first fro the America’s Cup and one which was generally reckoned to detract a lot from the mystique and integrity of the event.
Barker was very quizzical on this announcement, as were other senior members of Emirates Team New Zealand management when questioned by media today: ''It seems a little odd, I must say,' Barker said. 'It is not what the America’s Cup’s about. It has never been this way in the past and it seems a little strange. It is still very vague as to how the whole system is going to work and how the Defender is going to fit into the big scheme of things in what is supposed to be a Challenger Selection series.
'Since it was announced three weeks ago, one of the frequent and most deeply held criticisms of the Protocol for the 33rd America’s Cup has been that the Team Alinghi management company America’s Cup Management is holding all the cards and making all the decisions. Barker didn’t seem overly fazed by this development.
'They (ACM) did this last time anyway. Even when there was agreement from the Challenger Commission, ACM still had a vote and the Defender had a vote. In end with their two votes they always got what they wanted. From our perspective the only thing we expect is that the guys they are recruiting have to be professional enough to stage a fair event.
'We expect they will use umpires and others who we see every day on the match racing tour and they do a pretty good job.
'I don’t really think in terms of the sailing perspective that it makes a lot of difference for us, although I know that a lot of people are bent out of shape over the amount of involvement by ACM.
'The natural emotion is to think in a conspiracy theory that they are trying to do everything they can to put one over everyone. But they know that if they bend the rules too much, or make it too one sided, then it is not going to create a very good event.
'You have two choices. Make it un-winnable so you hold onto it for ever – but people will lose interest and move away. Or do what Sir Peter Blake did and try to create the best event you can, and then back yourself to win it.
'One of the major changes with the new Protocol is the Neutral Management provisions have been taken out and that ACM have assumed all decision making, where previously the game had been set so that neither side should be advantaged. Barker’s comment was that it was pretty much as expected.
'Again it is completely Alinghi’s right to do whatever they want. They won the America’s Cup. We have to race for it under their rules. There is a certain amount of trust that has to go with that in that they are going to create an event that is relatively fair.
'How you determine fair is not clear. But that is their prerogative. In the past it has been run by the Defender and we are certainly moving away from Neutral Management and back to a Defender run event.
'When questioned on the issue of removal of Mutual Consent, from the Protocol, Barker was again rather unfazed.
'Again it is up to the Defender to decide how they want to play it. The Spanish have agreed with them and by signing this Protocol they have effectively created a backbone for the next event. Alinghi have aligned themselves with a team who were prepared to not negotiate all the points all the way through. You have to believe that the Spanish have to be benefiting in some way from a Protocol which is heavily weighted in some ways in the Defenders corner.'In the second part of this interview, Dean Barker looks at Emirates Team New Zealand’s performance in the 2007 America’s Cup and why Alinghi was able to beat the top Challenger.
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World NZL
