BMW ORACLE's team launched an awesome racing machine and the team has begun their testing campaign of the 90x90 multihull in preparation for racing. Sebastien Destremau has asked BMW ORACLE Racing’s Tom Ehman for an update on sailing the American DogZilla as well as catching up on other America's Cup current issues.
SD (Sebastian Destremau): We have seen the launch of what might be the sole opponent for Alinghi in the 33rd America's Cup should BMW ORACLE win their appeal. What are your first impressions of the boat?
TE (Tom Ehman): It is an amazing boat. Everyone who sees it for the first time stares in awe and comments on the sheer size of it and how tall the mast is. We enjoyed the first reactions on the yachting websites when we first released pictures of it. I think the word “big” is an understatement.
SD: Your team managed to build a state of the art multihull in record time (9/10 months). The boat is very impressive and your sailors seem enthusiastic about her. Are you impressed with the way the tests are going so far? And are you 100% happy with what your team has put together to take Alinghi on?
TE: Yes, we are very pleased with this boat. We are taking things carefully to start with as we build familiarity with how it performs. But our initial impressions are that the boat is very responsive. We are happy with how testing is going.
SD: The central hull looks shorter than the overall length of the other hulls. Is the central hull acting like a D35's 'pod' rather than a proper hull? And what are the real reasons for this?
TE: No, it’s a proper hull.
SD: Your sailors are wearing helmets. Is it that dangerous to sail on one of these 'monsters'? Are the sailors nervous about going out to sea every day?
TE: A boat like this generates enormous loads, and when you are flying both the windward float and hull you are a long way above the water! The sailors are really enjoying sailing this boat, but safety always has to come first and that is why we are taking each step slowly and carefully. We will gradually and carefully increase the sailing range as we build up more experience with it.
SD: Multihull designer Marc Lombard was quite critical when he stated: 'My first impression was that of a total lack of imagination, the project, as I expected is nothing other than a super Orma. Taking over our curved foils and the pivoting mast. that's already on all the Orma trimarans. This project does not hold any surprise, except for the accumulation of extreme factors'. Do you have any comment to make?
TE: I guess everyone will have their own point of view. Because it was designed with a July 2008 match in mind we decided to rely on proven technology. But there is still a lot of innovation on this boat that you see once you get up close. We are certainly happy with it.
SD: Due to the ongoing court case, an eventual Dog Match is several months away. Wasn't it risky to show your DoG Match boat to Alinghi at this stage?
TE: The America’s Cup is always full of risks. We were happy to show the world this boat and I think by the reaction we have had from the public and media, people have been very pleased to see it.
SD: Russell Coutts was heard saying that his team “learned heaps” building her. Is this the boat you plan to sail in the DoG match or are you planning to use her as a research platform before designing/building a second one?
TE: First we will see how this one goes. Anything is possible.
SD: How should we call your 'DoG' boat? As she been named?
TE: For now we are calling it the BOR 90. We had a commissioning ceremony and we’ll name it later.
SD: Rumor has it that Alinghi is building a catamaran. Can you confirm this or do you have any information on what Alinghi is preparing to defend the title?
TE: The America’s Cup is always full of rumours. We will have to wait like everyone else until Alinghi launch their boat to see what they are doing.
SD: Regarding the court case and in order to accelerate the legal proceeding, could you have asked for an expedited appeal? Or was this not possible?
TE: Yes this was an option open to each party in the case. But, the New York appeals court normally acts relatively expeditiously and we thought the issues were too important to have been presented in an abbreviated form in an expedited appeal. We believe the Cup would be permanently undermined if just anyone could get together with a defender and set the rules as Challenger of Record that the defender wanted. We are determined to try and stop that from happening. It would end the Cup as we know it.
SD: We have recently seen an exchange of letters between SNG and GGYC re. Custom House Registry and Alinghi is claiming that it 'should have been provided during construction so between four and six months ago'. When, in your opinion, should this document have been sent?
TE: The procedures to be followed on the CHR are simple and clear, and we have and will comply with the Deed.
SD: Any other comments you may have to wrap up?
TE: It really is great to have this new boat on the water. We have had a very full 2008 thus far, with the RC44, TP52, and X40 racing. But nothing I have seen has generated such excitement like this new BOR 90. Most of the team is in Anacortes right now for the testing. It is a great thrill for all of us to see it sailing.
SD: Thank you for keeping in touch with us Tom.
Fuente : Sebastien Destremau, http://www.destremausailing.blogspot.com/
