Trouble insists foiling is the future

One of the most enduring and respected figures in the America’s Cup has hit back at critics of the current boats, insisting foiling is the future and there must be no return to the sluggish monohulls of the past.

Frenchman Bruno Trouble, who has been around the Cup scene for 43 years as a sailor and administrator, has been captivated by the current 75-foot monohulls.

He says sport’s oldest contest must evolve with the times.

He has penned a column for yachting website Scuttlebutt, damning plans revealed by the New York Yacht Club and backed by some leading Italian Cup personalities, of a return to 80-100 foot displacement monohulls.

‘‘While there might be uncertainty about the AC75 boat, I have no doubt they will deliver a tremendous platform for racing.

‘‘This is where we are, and we will never return to slow and lovely monohulls without branding! The world has changed and it is now all about speed ... SPEED!’’ Trouble wrote for Scuttlebutt.

‘‘Ask our kids and grandchildren. Their dreams are not about sailing an Optimist around two buoys . . . they dream of wearing a helmet to go flying, foiling, jumping, and crashing under sail or kite.

‘‘For some, we may be too old to understand but this is the truth.

‘‘The AC75s in Auckland are amazing, and we will not return to the past. We may be too old to be invited on board, but this is a bad and useless frustration.’’

Trouble felt the recent world series regatta in Auckland had proven the worth of the new class as a racing machine. It was the first time the giant boats had lined out against each other in anger, and they had largely delivered.

‘‘The AC75 is also a very good match racing boat. These first races demonstrated how they already look much better than the multihulls and are no more dangerous than the ‘beach cats’ used before,’’ the 75-year-old wrote for