Re: alfa-digest V7 #1114

[C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

Thanks Jerry in Houston

Yes, I follow America's Cup (doesn't everybody?) The Formula 1 of Yacht 
Racing. I checked out the site and it's great.

I was sailing on Hauraki Gulf last November hoping to spot the contenders 
training on the water, closest view I got was of Team Prada. I'd like to 
say they looked fast, but compared to the 28 foot sloop I was on, any of 
those boats looked fast! They didn't let us get very close either, even 
though they were inshore. we got a good view of the trial horse but the 
main team boat showed us a clean pair of heels pretty promptly. Anyone 
racing those boats on Hauraki Gulf has my unabashed admiration. New Zealand 
sailors are tough competitors and excellent seamen, whoever wins the Luis 
Vuitton will have their work cut out for them in Team New Zealand's home 
waters, not for the faint of heart I can tell you, a calm day to a New 
Zealander  means 20 knots and 4 foot swells.

For those Ferrari fans out there, McLaren's not the only team to have 
resorted to rules games, it IS a sport after all and the rules are 
important. Try Yacht Racing Rules if you're looking for complexity, they 
make auto racers look like mere pikers. At least when McLaren drivers run 
another driver off the road it's another McLaren driver which is more than 
you can say about Mr Schumacher. The guy's a brilliant driver but he needs 
to learn a thing or two about sportsmanship.


Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner

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