What the hull!

By DAVID GREEN

In case you haven't heard, there's a big controversy in the America's Cup yacht race -- based on technology. Auto racing fans should be able to relate to this one.

It's all about hulls. You know, the body and chassis, as it were, of the boats. One might refer to the debate as a "hull-abaloo."

OK, OK. Enough groans, booing and hissing. This year's race will be the first ever between two multihull boats. As a National Public Radio announcer described it, "Think of a catamaran on steroids."

Switzerland's Alinghi is, in fact, a twin-hull boat, or catamaran. The American challenger is a trimaran. (It a name -- BMW Oracle -- based on corporate sponsorship, another element NASCAR fans should find familiar.)

Traditionalists are having conniptions. The multihull boats mean there will be no dramatic images of sailors hanging perilously over one side or the other to attempt to maintain balance. Mechanical powered winches mean crews won't be wrestling with might and main to make captains' adjustments in sails.

It reminds me of the arguments in auto racing that have been caused by technological development, and the purpose of the sporting events.

Arguments against the innovations that will be on display in the Mediterranean Sea off Valencia, Spain, when the Cup begins tomorrow seem logical to me. What little I knew about the race before I began researching it this morning was pretty much based on those images that I referred to earlier. The essence of the competition will obviously be altered.

The question is whether that's a good or a bad thing. Like radical aerodynamics, restrictor plates and other aspects of NASCAR racing, it's an eye-of-the-beholder thing.

Just in case you want to know more about the America's Cup, read on. If you're not interested, thanks for getting this far. I look forward to any comments about technology and auto racing.

The America's Cup race has a long tradition, dating from 1851 when the New York Yacht Club accepted a challenge from a British group and prevailed over 14 English challengers in a race around the Isle of Wight. The oval-track race fan in me wonders if the boats ran an American-style counter-clockwise (or anti-clockwise, as the Brits say) course.

The trophy was officially named the America's Cup in 1857, in recognition of the inaugural winner of it. The first official challenge for possession of the Cup came in 1870, when the Royal Thames Yacht Club's Cambria fell to Magic, the best of 18 American entries.

Since then, the race has been staged 30 more times, usually -- like this year's race -- as a two-team contest between the holder of the Cup and a challenger. The champion gets to set the rules for the next contest. Imagine Hendrick, Roush, et al, with such an opportunity! Conspiracy theorists say that's already the case in NASCAR. But, I digress...

The Swiss boat is the two-time reigning champion and America is attempting to regain ownership of the Cup, which it has held an overwhelming majority of the time since the race's inception. Australia (1983) was the first to defeat the Americans, and lost the Cup in the next challenge four years later.

In 1995, New Zealand won the Cup and then, in 2000, became the only country other than the U.S. to successful defend its title.

The Swiss were the first European winners in 2003, and defended their championship in 2007. As the U.S. endeavors to reclaim the Cup, Alinghi and crew will try to become the first team other than America to win it for a third straight time.