Oracle Team USA’s rebuilt AC72, USA-17, has sailed for two days in San Francisco, and the team have released some images and video showing her in foiling mode.
Some changes have clearly been made to the boat – most obvious being removal of the former steering system, now replaced with a wheel, the same as Emirates Team NZ.
A new wingsail has been  … Pictures and more
America’s Cup 2013. Oracle Team USA ‘17’ was back in the San Francisco Bay today, beginning the next phase of training for their upcoming America’s Cup defense. A crew of 11 sailors, plus members of the design and performance team, took Oracle Team USA’s AC72 racing yacht on the water for testing and commissioning of the boat and new wing.
‘I think everyone was anxious and pretty psyched to get going again  … Pictures and more
As the team prepares to launch AC72 Boat 2, we asked the guys to describe the sensation of sailing onboard an AC72.
In the Vendee Globe, Jean-Pierre Dick was 550 miles south from the Azores when his keel broke off eleven days ago, his damage consequently handing over his third place to Briton Alex Thomson. And last night, at around 0200hrs UTC Tanguy de Lamotte, some 440 miles to the SW of the Cape Verde islands hit something in the water which damaged his rudder and his keel.
Also climbing the Atlantic Alessandro Di Benedetto, the Italian skipper of Team Plastique is very much compromised at the moment having lost or damaged all of his downwind sails, although he is still working to complete a gennaker repar.
Such incidents, even so close to the conclusion of the race, still issue a reminder to the remaining skippers  … More