America’s Cup, USA-17 in viaggio verso San Francisco
America's CupOracle Team USAVela 25 Gennaio 2011 Zerogradinord 0
[singlepic id=4920 w=320 h=213 float=left]America’s Cup – Valencia – USA-17 si prepara a tornare negli Stati Uniti. Il maxi trimarano che ha dato a Oracle Racing la Coppa America al termine del duello contro Alinghi 5 è stato caricato a bordo del cargo Star Isfjord che lo trasporterà assieme alla sua immensa ala rigida a San Francisco. 7.900 miglia via Panama: un viaggio che inizierà il 29 o il 30 gennaio per concludersi all’inizio di marzo all’ombra del Golden Gate.
Varato ad Anacortes nell’agosto del 2008, USA-17 venne trasferito a San Diego dove subì radicali modifiche e venne dotato dell’ormai celebre wing sail. Sfruttata la lunghissima estata californiana per ulteriori test, il trimarano dello skipper James Spithill venne disarmato e spedito in Europa a bordo di un cargo sul finire del 2009.
Al momento non è previsto alcun impiego di USA-17. Quando arriverà negli Stati Uniti verrà trasferito in un capannone e lì lasciato sino a quando il team di Larry Ellison non avrà tempo da dedicargli: “I pochi di noi che hanno avuto l’onore di navigarci non perderebbero un solo istante per tornarci a bordo – ha spiegato James Spithill – Ma sono sicuro che anche chi non ci è mai salito non vede l’ora di farlo. Ma la cruda realtà è che ogni aspetto della barca, ogni componente, è stato costruito pensando al limite. Ogni ora di navigazione di USA-17 richiede almeno venti ore di manutenzione scrupolosa e rigorosa”.
AMERICA’S CUP, USA-17 BOUND FOR SAN FRANCISCO
[Oracle Racing Press Release] USA-17 has only ever competed twice, but she sailed the races of her life to dominate the Swiss defender, Alinghi, off Valencia, Spain, last year and win the 33rd America’s Cup.
The extraordinary carbon-fiber machine is being loaded onto the freighter M.V. Star Isfjord this week for the long delivery trip to San Francisco via the Panama Canal. The freighter carrying both USA-17 and her extraordinary 223ft wingsail is scheduled to leave Valencia on January 29 or 30 for the 7,900-nautical-mile passage to the Bay Area.
The estimated arrival in San Francisco, dependent upon on-time loading, sea conditions en-route and transit time in the Panama Canal, is March 1.
The trimaran’s arrival will mark the first time that USA-17 visits the city that Oracle Racing calls home. She was launched in Anacortes, WA, in August 2008, and after initial testing there moved to San Diego, CA, for a further period of training before being moved to Valencia for the 33rd Cup Match last February.
Measuring more than 100 feet long and 90 feet wide and powered by a 20-storey tall wingsail, USA-17 is the fastest yacht to ever win the America’s Cup. It has been in storage in Valencia since winning the Cup on Feb. 14, 2010.
With the Oracle Racing team fully focused on laying the groundwork for its 34th America’s Cup campaign in 2013, the provisional plan is to continue to keep USA-17 in storage after unloading. An announcement about the vessel’s sailing plans will be made later this year.
“The handful of us privileged to sail on USA-17 would love to sail her again in an instant. I dare say all those who never had this chance would like to as well,” said Oracle Racing skipper James Spithill.
“But the stark reality is that every aspect of the boat, every component, was built right to the limit so that for every hour’s sailing USA-17 required 20 hours of painstaking and rigorous maintenance. For the time being the team’s focus will be on the America’s Cup ahead”.
No comments so far.
Be first to leave comment below.