Whats the deal with winged keels?
A. This is a feature introduced several years ago. It was invented by Ben Lexcen (although this is under dispute). This was a revolution that allowed the Australians to steal the Cup and bring Dennis Conner much notoriety. The wings provide hydrodynamic lift (like an airplane wing). This allows better handling of the boat, and allows it to point higher (sail closer to, or more directly at the wind). It was a major revolution in boat building, and heralded a new era in America’s Cup competition. It somewhat took the emphasis off of sailing and turned it into a design competition.
