By Stuart Alexander

The world has moved on since the glorious days of 1976 when a bumper fleet gathered in Plymouth to race across the Atlantic and join the bi-centenary celebrations for American independence. Every sort and condition of man and his boats was assembled from giant to little more than dinghy and including both monohulls and multihulls.

By Stuart Alexander

The fact that most visitors would not know the difference between computational fluid dynamics and a power shower is irrelevant in the buttoned up world of Alinghi and the America's Cup. Even though everyone in the room knows that under the 19th century deed of gift rules that govern the Cup, the defender has to be ready for a challenge with 10 months notice, the assertion that Alinghi would need a minimum of nine months to build a boat and a further two to work it up is delivered with deadpan confidence.