European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 12, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse It May come Down to who is the Best Driver by Bernie Wilson associated press sports writer it s Bill Koch s boat and hell steer if he wants to. Koch a sailing ability has come to the forefront of the comparisons Between his american America cubed and Italy s ii Moro i Venezia the yachts that squared off in the 28th America s cup match starting last saturday. America3 won the first race by 30 seconds but the italian entry evened the Best of seven series on sunday Wilh the narrowest margin in cup finals history a 3 seconds. The third race is to be held today in the Pacific Ocean off san Diego. Ii Moro and america3 Are the survivors of a Fleet of 25 International americans cup class yachts a each costing roughly $5 million a built for this regatta. Ii Moro the fifth yacht of the powerhouse Syndicate of the same name eliminated new zealand a unique yacht in the challenger finals. America3, the third of four yachts built by Koch won the defender finals Over stars amp stripes the Only yacht built by three time America s cup Winner Dennis Conner. Many observers feel the yachts Are evenly matched with a few design differences. If that s the Case then Skippers and Crew will make the difference. American born Paul Cayard who crewed aboard the late Tom Blackaller a yachts in the 1983 and 1987 America s cup regattas steers ii Moro from Start to finish. America3 uses a team Effort. Dave Dellenbaugh the tactician handles the restart Maneu vers and hands off to buddy melges after crossing the starting line. Melges skipper of heart of America in the 1987 challenger trials generally steers the first three legs before handing off to Koch for the three legs that reach across the wind. Melges sometimes steers the final two legs of the eight leg 20.03-mile course sometimes Koch finishes. Koch an americans cup Rookie who has been sailing competitively for Only eight years has been criticized for his desire to steer. German frers who designed the ii Moro Fleet recently added to that criticism. Frers said america3 is Quot a Nice boat very similar in concept to ours. I think the racing is going to be close. It All depends whether Bill Koch will steer or not. I see he a been taken around and Babysitter around the course by buddy melges. Quot this is a professional sport of the highest level and to have somebody come and try to fit in without enough experience or background or ability is a Little strange Quot frers said. Quot there Are times when you cannot drive the boat by instruments and you have to have a certain feeling i done to think he has much Quot there a nothing wrong with my driving skills Quot Koch retorted. He did say however that Quot buddy works Koch suffered an embarrassment in saturday s race when he was whacked in the head by a Block and tackle apparatus and thrown to the deck. Ten ii Moro sailors and 11 from americans lineup have competed in previous America s cup regattas but none have reached previous America s cup matches. Ii Moro is wider and performs better in Small swells while america3 can better handle the Quot chop Quot or larger swells. Koch says ii Moro Quot is like an aircraft Carrier. Our boat is designed More like a Koch said he Felt america3 was weak in Light wind and that ii Moro does better in heavy wind. Tom Whidden tactician for the eliminated stars amp stripes agrees. He sees america3 having More Speed in 711 knots and ii Moro being faster above 11 knots. To improve in Light air america3 underwent extensive renovations since last Friday including a new keel new Mast and new sails. Robert Hopkins jr., ii Moro s american born navigator and technical and research director has an interesting observation. A i think that the ii Moro Crew is second to none and i think that the america3 boat seems to have a slight Edge Over us in Speed according to the reports i be seen Quot i m not sure it s enough of an Edge that they can actually get around us from being behind us to ahead of us in one leg. Well try to play parch Eesi out there Quot he said. It could be an expensive game. It turns out that the time difference calculated from comparisons of times during the last series and corrected for wind differences on the respective courses is 90 seconds in americans favor. Quot we have to Hope that we were sailing poorly with a fast boat or some other strange thing was happening out there Quot Hopkins action line editor s note the action line will not appear today because of a delay in receiving responses to a number of queries. The draw Down cutbacks in staff and other factors have combined to produce the shortage according to military officials. The action line will resume ass soon As answers Are received by the stars and stripes. Winning tactics. To civics Ara baud on a rums and tha wind Whan the direction of the wind changes tha boat that Dassel to the new direction Gams an advantage because its course to the Neil Mark attentive to becomes Shorter the boat with the Lead and night of Way also has an advantage being Able to control an opponent by placing him in the less favourable position and the Basic rules of match racing shippers must know the right of Way rules instinctively a wrong decision will draw a protest i a worse cause a collision the attended boat Wilt display nautical code Flag a Vyred and yellow Diagonal stripes it the on water uhf it re agree that a foul has been commit Tad. They win order the offender to execute a 270-degree penalty turn the Man Euver usually Means a loss of about three boat lengths the boat then May continue to race the umpires do not initiate Calls pre Start confrontation before the starting signal the goal is la Man Euver into a position that allows one boat to Benefit by using the right of Way rules to control the other boats actions the circling Maneu vers Are sometimes an attempt to get on the opponent boat s Tail and so close that it is unable to Man Euver Wilhour Toulme the trailing boat thus controls me timing and approach when crossing the starting line Sta tack Advant Aci tacking duet covering staying directly Between your4opponont and the Mark 13 the first defense in a tacking Duel from this advantageous position you can continuously disrupt your opponent s wind or tack directly onto his wind. Known As a Stam Dunk. Forcing him to make undesirable Maneu vers buffing your opponent defending your Lead from an opponent trying to overtake to Windward by turning sharply into his path and causing him to turn even More sharply to avoid a collision you May continue turning until your opponent is directly into the wind and his sails no longer fill thus buffing you have the Nghil of Way being the Leeward boat on the same Lack and any Contact will be held As the fault of the overtaking boat upwind advantage the boat with right of Way will try to control Whan both boats tack toward the Mark to round sometimes a herding Quot he other boat beyond its Best course or forcing the other boat to follow in us disturbed wind going slower downwind attack a Good downwind Battle is a race for the inside position at the Mark a x Mhz atm leading boat must leave Quot room at the Mark Quot for the inside boat provided tha overlap is established before the leading boat enters the two length Circle Reg Ufa before end Elihe Elart at a starting Mark an inside Windward overlapping boat has no right to claim room when approaching the line 10 atari Bui after the starting signal the Leeward is not entitled to squeeze the Windward boat do at me Mark by sailing either 1 upwind of in e course to me first Mark or i. Directly into the Emu when any Mil of a boat. Its sans rigging equipment or Crew is on the course of the Start Nna at the slanting signal me boat c a premature so Lei my it a 1 l1 a a asian 1 l night of Way in open wafer when neither boat is about to sail around a Mark but Are both it a open water 1 a boat on port tack keeps Ceai or a boat on starboard tack 2. A Windward boat keeps dear or a Leeward boat 3. A boat that is lacking or jiving keeps Clear or one that in t 4. A boat Clear astern of another keeps Clear of the one ahead when they Are both on the same tack tack when overtaking a boat from Windward the boat behind 15 obligated 10 slay Clear and me boat to Leeward and ahead May defend its position by turning sharply upwind without warning if there 19 a collision the a Mewaid boat is to blame however in pre Start mane vering before the gun. Must be done slowly 10 allow me Windward boat to keep Clear a Leeward boat May not Luff another if the helmsman of tha wind wait boat with the boats sailing parallel can sight the Masl of inti Leeward boat As he looks directly across his own boat from is Normal helming position right of Way at a Windward Mark at a Windward Mark that is a Mark of the course Hal you have been tacking to reach the basics Are 1. When on opposite lacks take the Mark away and apply the principles As in open Waler 2. When on the same Lack Trie boat nest to the Mark must be Given room to round by the boat outside. When a boat is tacking around the Mark it must keep Clear of any following boat but any boat outside i Musl give it room right of Way at an of wind Mark at an off wed Mark that is one you have sailed to on a Broad reach or run the basics Are 1 the boat on the inside at the Mark must be Given room to round the port and starboard Rule does not apply Here. 2. A boat Thal approaches the Mark Clear ahead of another has the right to jibe around the Mark the other boat must keep dear 3. Tha boat on the inside must not round so wide that <1 sails into a boat mat is giving it room. Tin Dward boat Page 16 a the stars and stripes tuesday May 12, 1992 my ii t Rretta and a
