ONE SPINNAKER = 5,200 SQUARE FEET

The Louis Vuitton Cup races are in progress at Valencia Spain. It's the precursor to the American Cup races this summer.

Flying a spinnaker is a quite a chore. The trick is to be able to fly it in the shortest amount of time without letting it douse into the water before it is hoisted.

Worse yet would be to allow the spinnaker be sliced by a sharp edge somewhere on the deck which renders the spinnaker worthless.

Spinnakers on America's Cup boats measure 5,200 square feet - equal to three or four homes in area.

A square yard of spinnaker weighs in at a half of an ounce.

Direct TV is broadcasting the Louis Vuitton races on channel 608 - the VS network. If you love sailing, it's quite the sight.

If you're not into sailing, watching these races is similar to sitting in the backyard and watching the grass grow.