While following the weird America's Cup contest between two immense multihull sailboats scheduled to begin Wednesday morning, I just came across a video put out by the Oracle team showing a quite cool power cat underway. The web site is www.bmworacleracingblog.blogspot.com and the power cat is shown on a 2/9/2010 blog titled "catch the wind." The blog is mostly about a very space-age laser wind meter the team uses, but the video shows the wind meter in use on a BMW Oracle power cat zooming alongside the BMW Oracle multi-hull sailboat. The power cat is an interesting design, with a center cabin/flybridge pod attached by struts to low, skinny hulls. It scoots. The America's Cup sailboats themselves are amazing machines, and the Oracle blogspot has many videos taken of their huge tri-hull sailboat screaming along at 30 knots plus. John Schieffelin Jamestown, RI

                          Regards, Bert Harrottinal Message ----- 

John, the powercat in the video was originally named the Royale Atlantic. It is the brainchild of designer Nigel Irens. (Google his name and admire his other creations!) The boat was commissioned to serve as a camera platform to film the mega sailing multihull regattas in Europe. It is 50ft. long, powered by twin 350hp diesels and clips along at 30 to 35 kts. Regards, Bert Harrottinal Message ----- From: "John Schieffelin" <jsschieff@cox.net> To: <power-catamaran@lists.samurai.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 11:00 AM Subject: [PCW] America's Cup power cat > While following the weird America's Cup contest between two immense > multihull sailboats scheduled to begin Wednesday morning, I just came > across > a video put out by the Oracle team showing a quite cool power cat > underway. > > > > The web site is www.bmworacleracingblog.blogspot.com and the power cat is > shown on a 2/9/2010 blog titled "catch the wind." The blog is mostly about > a > very space-age laser wind meter the team uses, but the video shows the > wind > meter in use on a BMW Oracle power cat zooming alongside the BMW Oracle > multi-hull sailboat. The power cat is an interesting design, with a center > cabin/flybridge pod attached by struts to low, skinny hulls. It scoots. > > > > The America's Cup sailboats themselves are amazing machines, and the > Oracle > blogspot has many videos taken of their huge tri-hull sailboat screaming > along at 30 knots plus. > > > > John Schieffelin > > Jamestown, RI > _______________________________________________ > Power-Catamaran Mailing List

Ironically, Nigel Irens is a senior member of the Alinghi design team! Regards Roger Bingham France