NYYC American Magic PATRIOT Day 25 Summary

The speculation yesterday surrounding the Patriot capsize was centred on the team, potentially hitting a wooden board, flushed out of the tributaries into Pensacola Bay after rainfall – the team’s chase boat have certainly been fishing items like this out of the Bay for a while now – but on the debrief and after studying onboard video taken looking down at the rudder elevator it has been confirmed that the scourge of the oceans – a plastic bag – was to blame for the stall-out and subsequent roll-over. Speaking today after a shake-down sail, Terry Hutchinson, President of Sailing Operations and Skipper of American Magic confirmed what they now know saying: “When we talked about it at first yesterday, we knew we hit some debris and I think I speculated that it was wood, based on the amount that we'd all been pulling out the water over the last month and a half. But after a closer look, we hooked up a plastic bag around the rudder elevator that caused the boat to do a hard right-hand turn and roll into a capsize. So, the good news is we didn't do any damage to the foil…and you can physically see the plastic bag roll off the rudder elevator.” Section 41. Reconnaissance a) As a campaign cost reduction measure, COR/D has mutually agreed to cooperatively implement a centralised reconnaissance programme for all teams for the reconnaissance of all Competitors’ AC75 Yachts, AC40 Yachts and LEQ12 yachts including both on-land and on-water imagery (the “Joint Recon Programme”). b) Each team is assigned a two-person Recon Unit to follow their every on-water move, but it's not that simple. The cameras are supplied and identical for all Recon Units. Drones are not allowed, and they can't get that close, plus following a boat and keeping a camera steady at 45 knots isn't that easy to begin with. c) A three minute interview follows each on water day, and teams must answer the Recon Unit's questions while trying not to give too much away. It's a raw, unedited view of the never before seen behind-the-scenes development of a team and their boat to win the oldest trophy in international sports. #AC37Recon #AmericasCup #Barcelona2024