Scoop Special Feature: Americas Cup

Scot Forge, one of the most modern and respected forging companies in the world, today is being announced as a Partner level sponsor of the New York Yacht Club/Young America Challenge after months of working quietly behind the scenes manufacturing parts of the appendage packages for the team's America's Cup racing yachts USA 53 and USA 58.

Scot Forge is the key member of the Young America appendage manufacturing consortium overseen by NYYC/Young America sponsor Brown & Sharpe. The appendage package includes the keel fin and tab, bulb, winglets and rudders. These are the underwater components attached to the hull to provide stability and hydrodynamic side force to balance the aerodynamic sail forces as well as directional control.

"When Scot Forge joined our team it gave the Young America designers a performance-enhancing solution without compromises," said Duncan MacLane, Young America Design Team Manager. "As we optimized the keel design, we were not constrained by limited manufacturing technology. Scot Forge's advanced forging capabilities along with their creative technical and production team allowed us to take the keel design and its structural engineering to new levels which will translate directly into significant gains on the race course."

In a unique arrangement, Scot Forge has donated the steel, forging, heat treating and machining of the appendages for both Young America USA 53 and 58. "We're proud to have this opportunity to bring our special forging skills and technology to the Young America team," said Jim McKinley, President and CEO of Scot Forge.

The forging process provides the ability to integrate the best available steels and hydrodynamic performance to maximize boat speed. The appendage design is the result of three years of research and development by the Young America Design Team. Scot Forge's extensive capabilities were integrated into the design and structural engineering development of the appendages.

Scot Forge, headquartered in Spring Grove, IL, is an ISO 9002-certified manufacturer of ferrous and non-ferrous open die and rolled ring forgings in part weights from 1 pound to 80,000 pounds. With over 100 years of experience, and operating with almost 700,000 square feet of manufacturing space in four plants, this 100% employee-owned company ships over 150 million pounds of forgings each year to an impressive cross section of metalworking industries.

The capability and flexibility of Scot Forge's extensive, state-of-the-art equipment along with the employee-owners' commitment to quality and customer service have made Scot Forge a preferred "One Stop Forge Shop" for forging solutions.

The NYYC/Young America Challenge is supported by both corporate sponsorships and tax-exempt contributions made by private individuals. In addition to Scot Forge, an international open die and rolled ring forging leader, corporate sponsors are Air New Zealand, the team's preferred international airline; Breitling U.S.A. Inc., the Swiss watch manufacturer; Brown & Sharpe, the world's leading manufacturer of dimensional metrology equipment; Helly Hansen, the worldwide leader in performance outdoor apparel; Yachting Magazine, the world's leading marine magazine that covers power and sail; Yale Cordage, the international leader in the manufacture of technologically advanced braided rope for yachting applications, and Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines, the world's largest provider of vehicle and roll/on, roll/off transportation and logistics services. Official Suppliers include Allan Scott Wines, Bell Gully, The Boston Beer Company, Farr Yacht Design Ltd., Goetz Custom Sailboats, Hall Spars, Kitty Hawk Cargo, Mercury Marine, Mesa Systems Guild, Mustela USA, Orrick, Herrington, & Sutcliffe, Team McLube, Team One Newport, U.S. Paint Corporation, and Vosaic.

The NYYC/Young America Challenge is dedicated to winning the America's Cup through technological innovation, teamwork and a total commitment to success. Its effort will represent the entire country through an alliance of distinguished Partner Yacht Clubs.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>