 My best shot!
BOR-90 just passed us flying two hulls!
|  BMW ORACLE Racing - Team and Challenge presentation special event. I'm on the 'America'!
Photo: Giles Martin-Raget
|  My lens is not wide enough to capture the ninety feet width of BOR-90 from that position.
The new Hilton and the 'Pinapple ship' in the background.
|  From the press stand, accross the guest area to the yacht 'America".
|
 Russel Coutts is introduced by Tom Ehman
|  The Aussie Jim Spithill, the helmsman for the Americas cup challenger, joins Russel Coutts at the media briefing.
|  .... pushing 50 kts ... wow, that is F-A-S-T! Mistakes can be catastrophic and could end the campaign.
|  I handed off my camera for this shot of me on BOR-90. The winches, on my left, will be eliminated and a motor will power the sail trimming hydraulically.
|
 This part may look similar after the re-build but the power will not be muscels, but a motor ...
|  ... turning them hydraulically on button command!
|  185 feet is about 18 stories ....
|  ... here are 170+ feet of main sail bundled on the boom.
|
 ... to be hoisted up to the top, where a crew member is making some adjustments. (It is also a long way DOWN!)
|  A look accross the BOR-90 "deck" to the yacht 'America'.
|  You see the center board in the foreground and the canted mast behind it ...
|  this is a similar shot that shows the forward cross member. All of this is of hi-tech, light weight, carbon fibre!
|
 Looking from the center hull to the bow of the starboard hull.
|  This is the base of the mast, which is able to tilt, cant and pivot. By the sheer size, and shape, of it, it is used and works like a sail!
|  The ends of all these sheets (ropes) disappear into wells ...
|  avoid clutter and entanglement.
|
 BOR-90 stern. Amazing how compact this huge sail stows!
|  Tom Ehman, the MC.
|  .... hi, Heinz :-)
|  Larry Ellison ...we built the fastest sailboat we knew how ....
|
 ... and feel the venue at RAK might not be a safe place to hold AC-33.
We might have to go back to court.
|  Russel Coutts tells us that he has the team and boat capable to win the cup! Handing off the helm to Jimmy, the next generation, is best for us.
|  Jimmy Spithill is confident and articulate, pushing the limits!
The crew wears helmets and life vests for brisk breeze trials.
|  He projects his 'can do' attitude very well!
|
 Harrison Ford: I'm not really a big sailor, but I am a pilot and love to fly ....
|  .... and this thing flies .....!
Harrison Ford's casual presence did wonders for all the Junior Sailors from the local Yacht Clubs ...
|  .... ,including Coronado Yacht Club, who were able to meet him. It was the highlight for most of the kids I talked to. He has the MAGIC!
|  Larry Ellison, takes away Spithill's Champagne glass, teasing him, "you're not gonna drink and then drive my boat!"
|
 He returned it for the toast! What about Russel?
|  Lining up for a team picture.
|  ... add the design and ground crew...
|  fit in the Junior sailors ...
|
 I resisted to call out, "down in front".
|  Seating for the dignitaries ... their chairs were in the sun!
|  Hoisting the flag to fanfares.
|  The band starts to entertain us.
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