Just goes to show how much technology went into its design. I find it incredible that (even though it ultimately didn't handle the conditions) it was built to within a bee's appendage of doing the job it was designed for and NO more. They shaved its construction back so fine to keep its inertial mass down that they had no room to move - at all. Gone are the days of simply over-engineering and she'll be right mate. I could only imagine the amount of analysis that they poured in to it after the event - they will have learned an awful lot about hull design. I can't imagine that theyd've passed this info on to the New Zealanders....
Right on, Omaroo!
Then the old saying "NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION" rings true!
The Winged keel that Ben Lexcen designed certainly was the breakthrough that couldn't be matched in yachting circles.....
The formation of the new IACC yachts was a purely new design, to be twice as big as the old 12 Metre yachts and to still have the minimum 25 ton weight, unbelievable the amount of time and money people sunk into building the carbon fibre monsters.....and the engineering feats they accomplished in such little space of time. Its all about Higher, Faster, Stronger!!
Have you ever sailed on SPIRIT in Sydney Harbour ?? I have, and it was the first sailing experience i ever had, and it was awesome! If you haven't tried it, it was 3 hrs sailing a pure bred racing machine, and for $90-00 a head......i can't wait to do it again!
$30 bucks an hour is pretty good value isn't it? I bet the owners wished that this was the cost of ownership too! Probably try up around 100 times that...
I'd definitely like to go out for a spin on her, that's for sure.
Breaks my heart everytime! 
